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

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# expecting

phrase (adjective use of «expect»: be expecting, is expecting, was expecting; «expecting a baby»); verb (expect, expects, expected, expecting)

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

## Everyday

1. (euphemism) pregnant, going to have a baby. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#m1)
2. waiting for something you think will come or happen: «I'm expecting a parcel». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#m2)
3. thinking something will probably happen: «we're expecting rain». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#m3)

### In the lessons

Used in place of the plainer «pregnant», which some people once felt was too blunt; polite and everyday, all regions, very common in family talk and gossip. In maths and science, «expecting» or «expected» means predicted: «the expected answer».

### Examples

- My aunt is expecting, so I'm going to be a cousin! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x1)
- They announced they were expecting their second child. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x2)
- Is she expecting? She's been looking a bit tired. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x3)
- We're expecting twins in the autumn. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x4)
- I'm expecting a call from the dentist. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x5)
- The weather forecasters are expecting heavy snow tonight. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x6)
- The teacher was expecting the answer to be 24. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x7)
- "Expecting what?" asked Tom, who didn't understand the grown-ups. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x8)
- We're expecting a bridegroom, but the confounded fellow has disappeared." [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expecting/#x9)

### Note

Trap: «she is expecting» with no object means she is going to have a baby; «she is expecting a letter» means waiting. Don't guess the meaning without the object. Plain word: pregnant. In a word problem «expected» means the predicted number.

## On Mova

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