[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/expectation/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [E](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/e/) / expectation

# expectation

noun (an expectation, expectations)

«expectation» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An expectation is a belief that something will happen. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#m1)
2. Expectations are what people hope or require someone to do or be: «high expectations». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#m2)
3. (maths) Expectation is the average result you expect over many tries, as in probability. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#m3)

### In the lessons

In school, teachers have expectations for behaviour and work. In stories, things can go «against all expectations». In probability it is what you expect on average. Phrases: «high expectations», «live up to expectations», «beyond expectations», «against all expectations».

### Examples

- The team did better than expectations. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#x1)
- The film didn't live up to my expectations. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#x2)
- Our teacher has high expectations. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#x3)
- Against all expectations, the little horse won. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#x4)
- If you flip a coin 100 times, the expectation is 50 heads. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#x5)
- There is an expectation that everyone helps tidy up. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#x6)
- While they were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible calamity, out came a Mouse. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/#x7)

### Note

Countable. Verb: expect. Maths: expected value = number of tries × probability, an average, not a promise.

## In Jewish tradition

Here it means what a person hopes for or waits for, especially hope placed in God.

**Interpretation.** Proverbs teaches that the hopes of the wicked come to nothing while the righteous hope is joy. The tradition reads hope in God as a mark of faith.

### Examples

- And I said: 'My strength is perished, and mine expectation from the LORD.' (Writings LAM.3.18, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/expectation/#x1)
- The hope of the righteous is gladness; but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. (Writings PRO.10.28, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/expectation/#x2)
- When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of strength perisheth. (Writings PRO.11.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/expectation/#x3)

### Note

Countable. Verb: expect. Maths: expected value = number of tries × probability, an average, not a promise.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «expectation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expectation/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«expectation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/expectation.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «expectation» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/expectation/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«expectation» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/expectation.html) on Mova free.

