expectancy
(ɛkˈspɛktənsɪ)
Also 7 expectansie.
[ad. L. expectantia: see prec. and -ancy.]
† 1. = expectance 1. Obs. rare—1.
| 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. IV, cxxi, Only this is worth The King's Expectancie. |
2. The quality or state of being expectant; often, the action or fact of expecting (= expectance 2); also, an instance of this; a counting on; a forecast, calculation.
| 1600 Holland Livy 1187 The Macedonians, who depended upon the hope and expectancie of their aid. 1656 Jeanes Mixt. Schol. Div. 131 It gives therefore an assured expectancy of a better life after death. a 1714 Sharp Serm. (1754) I. ii. 34 How often doth a man do that in the fury and expectancies of lust, for which [etc.]. 1807 Cogan Eth. Treat. Passions i. i. 38 According to the degrees of our expectancy of success. 1823 Scott Peveril xxv, Fortune..loves to confound the calculations and expectancies of humanity. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. v. xl, The first-prompted suspicion..gave way to a more submissive expectancy. |
b. esp. The position of being entitled to any possession at some future time, either as a remainder, or reversion, or on the death of some one.
| 1811 L. M. Hawkins C'tess & Gertr. I. 37 Miss Toms, the great heiress in expectancy. a 1832 Mackintosh France in 1815, Wks. 1846 III. 191 Persons..interested..in the sale of confiscated property..by mortgage, or by expectancy. 1867 R. Broughton Cometh up as Flower xi. 105 Happy partly in present fruition, far more in expectancy. |
c. That from which expectations are entertained. arch. Cf. hope and expectance 2 d.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. i. 160 Th' expectansie and Rose of the faire State. 1805 Wordsw. Prelude vi. Wks. (ed. Morley) 280/2 The Nation hailed Their great expectancy. |
3. The state or condition of being expected, or looked forward to; esp. in Law (see 2 b).
| 1598 Kitchin Courts Leet (1675) 305 The Fee was but in expectancy. 1767 Blackstone Comm. II. 482 The bankrupt..is bound..to make a full discovery of all his estate and effects, as well in expectancy as possession. 1777 Burke Corr. (1844) II. 200 A practical reputation, to do any good, must be in possession, not in expectancy. 1838 Dickens Nich. Nick. xxii, The whole capital which Nicholas found himself entitled to either in possession, reversion, remainder, or expectancy. 1848 Wharton Law Lex. 241/1 s.v. Expectation, A sum of money in expectancy..has a determinate value. |
b. Anything in expectancy; anything which a person is entitled to expect.
| [1767 Blackstone Comm. II. 163 Of expectancies there are two sorts; one..called a remainder; the other..called a reversion.] 1858 Ld. St. Leonards Handy Bk. Prop. Law xx. 152 You may devise and bequeath any of your expectancies. 1883 Stubbs' Mercantile Circ. 8 Nov. 1000/2 Taking an assignment of her expectancy for what it is worth. |
4. The extent to which expectation may be reasonably cherished; prospective chance of possession, or of the occurrence of an event.
| 1620 Horæ Subsec. 454 From meane fortunes expectancies cannot be great. 1793 Burke Rem. Policy Allies Wks. 1842 I. 594, I..have been taught..to moderate my calculation of the expectancy of human abilities. 1879 Geo. Eliot Theo. Such xv, Calculating expectancy concerning parishoners' turkeys. |