1
general::
expect
adverbs
fully expect
(= completely )
• We fully expected to win.
confidently expect
(= with a feeling of confidence )
• He confidently expected to be elected again.
half expect
(= partly, but not completely )
• He walked slowly towards the box, half expecting it to explode.
really expect
(= definitely )
• I didn’t really expect her to come.
honestly expect
(= really expect )
• Do you honestly expect me to look after the kids while you go on holiday?
hardly expect
(= almost not )
• You can hardly expect a child of three to know the difference between right and wrong.
rightly expect
(= with good reason )
• The public rightly expects government officials to be honest.
phrases
as expected
(= in the way that was planned or thought likely to happen )
• Tickets have not been selling as well as expected.
something is (only) to be expected
(= used to say that you are not surprised by something unpleasant )
• After all this rain, some flooding is only to be expected.
something happens when you least expect it
• Bad luck tends to happen when you least expect it.
somebody is entitled to expect something
(= have the right to think something will happen )
• You’re entitled to expect decent service at these prices.
it is reasonable/unreasonable to expect something
• It’s unreasonable to expect a tenant to pay for repairs to the outside of the house.
transnet.ir
2
general::
verb ADV. confidently She confidently expects to win. | fully My parents fully expect us to get married. | not really I didn't really expect them to come. | half I was half expecting to see Jim at the concert. | honestly Did you honestly expect me to believe that? VERB + EXPECT be reasonable to, can, can realistically, can reasonably We can expect to see an improvement in the weather over the next few days. | be unrealistic to, be unreasonable to, can hardly It would be unreasonable to expect them to do all that work for free. You can hardly expect to learn a foreign language in a few months. | would, would normally I would expect the factory to be working again as normal by next week. | be entitled to You are entitled to expect certain minimum standards of accommodation. PREP. from We expect good results from our employees. PHRASES (only) to be expected This kind of behaviour is to be expected from a two-year-old. | expect a lot/too much of sb I think my parents always expected too much of me. | when you least expect sth An accident can happen anywhere, at any time, just when you least expect it.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary