expect Copy link Outline 1. exspecto (exp-), 1 (to look for something, whether good or evil; with acc.2. spēro, 1 (usu. = to hope, but also occasionally of anticipating evil3. crēdo, dĭdi, tum, 3 (with acc. and inf.) • expect: 1. exspecto (exp-), 1 (to look for something, whether good or evil; with acc.: but not acc. and inf.): to be e.ing any one's arrival, e. alicujus adventum, Caes.: I shall e., or rather demand longer letters, longiores epistolas exspectabo, vel potius exigam, Cic.: with a (ab) or ex, and abl. of the person from whom, Cic. Sometimes foll. by dum or ut and subj.: I don't think you e. me to write, non puto te ex. dum scribam, Cic. Att. 1, 1, 1: I believe we are e.'d to answer your letter, exspectari nos, arbitror, ut respondeamus tuis literis, Liv. 42, 40, init. 2. spēro, 1 (usu. = to hope, but also occasionally of anticipating evil: foll. by acc. alone, or acc. and inf.): but if I am deserted by you, which I do not e., sin a vobis (id quod non spero) deserar, Cic. Rosc. A. 4, 10: Virg.: Flor.: v. to hope. 3. crēdo, dĭdi, tum, 3 (with acc. and inf.): I e. you are surprised, judges, credo ego vos judices mirari, Cic. Rosc. A. init. Simly, other verbs of thinking, believing, with acc. and inf.: I confidently e. he will do his duty, confido illum fore in officio, Cic. Att. 1, 6: when I was just e.ing your arrival, quum jam te adventare arbitraremur, Cic. Att. 1, 4: to turn out otherwise than one may have e.'d, aliter cadere quam quis opinatus sit, Cic. Fam. 4, 4: v. to think, believe. Phr.: contrary to what was e.'d, praeter spem (v. expectation): sooner than might have been e.'d, opinione celerius, Cic.: a battle more bloody than might have been e.'d from the number of combatants, proelium atrocius quam pro numero pugnantium, Liv. 21, 29: not e.ing, inopinans, Caes.; necopinans, Cic.