expectant, ppl. a. and n.
(ɛkˈspɛktənt)
[a. Fr. expectant, or perh. ad. its original L. ex(s)pectant-em, pr. pple. of exspectāre: see expect.]
A. adj.
1. a. That is in an attitude or state of expectation; waiting, looking out. Const. † for, of, † on.
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 4571 Abide in hope..Expectant ay tille I may mete. 14.. Purific. Mary in Tundale's Vis. (1843) 131 Symeon..That was expectaunt..On the comfort and consolacion of Isrel. 1641 Sir E. Dering Sp. on Relig. 22 Nov. xv. 65 The people are expectant for a Declaration. 1730–6 in Bailey (folio). 1801 Southey Thalaba iii. xvii, His dog..Now lifts an anxious and expectant eye, Courting the wonted caress. 1856 Mrs. Browning Aur. Leigh iv. 899 Romney at the porch Looked out expectant of the bride. 1862 Trench Mirac. xv. (ed. 3) 253 From among this suffering expectant multitude Christ singles out one. 1872 A. W. Hutton Posit. Catholics in Ch. Eng. 33 The Church Militant, the Church Expectant. |
b. esp. That has the prospect, in ordinary course, of succeeding to a possession, office, etc., or of occupying a certain position; ‘that is to be’ (so-and-so). Also, that expects, thinks himself likely, to be appointed to an office, etc. expectant mother, a pregnant woman; also transf.; so expectant father.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 216 As he that tho was apparant Upon the regne expectant. 1640–1 Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855) 57 The supplicatioun presentit by Johne Somervaill, expectant minister. a 1691 Bp. Barlow Rem. (1693) 276 The Supernumerary expectant Clergy. 1714 Swift Pres. State Affairs Wks. 1755 II. i. 220 Scruples artificially raised in the mind of the expectant heir. 1838 Lytton Calderon, A pious Catholic, expectant of the cardinal's hat. 1861 Mayne Reid Hero in spite of Himself I. 12 Whenever a Zapoteque woman is about to add one to the number of their community, the expectant father of the child assembles all his relations in his cabin. 1878 Trollope Is he Popenjoy? III. v. 56 There was a brutality about this which for a time made the expectant father almost mad. 1882 R. K. Douglas China iv. 87 The expectant mother's next desire is to discover of what sex her child will be. 1886 Law Times LXXXII. 94/2 An expectant occupier has a locus standi to apply for the renewal of a public-house licence. 1918 Act 8 & 9 Geo. V c. 29 §1 Arrangements..for attending to the health of expectant mothers and nursing mothers. 1960 M. Burton Wild Animals Brit. Isles 97 In fox-hunting countries artificial burrows are constructed..of which the expectant-mother vixen will avail herself. 1963 ‘G. Bagby’ Murder's Little Helper (1964) ii. 14 ‘What kind of a burglar is it that swipes maternity clothes?’ ‘Expectant father?’ |
c. Eng. Law (see quot.).
| 1875 Sir G. Jessel Law Rep. 10 Chanc. Appeals 391 That peculiar position of reversioner or remaindersman which is oddly enough described as an expectant heir. This phrase is used, not in its literal meaning, but as including..every one who has the hope of succession to the property of an ancestor. |
2. Characterized by expectation or waiting for the course of events; esp. in Medicine, in expectant method, etc. (see quot. 1866).
| 1816 Southey in Q. Rev. XVI. 513 Like the continental physicians, such statesmen would pursue the expectant system. 1860 Motley Netherl. (1868) I. iii. 80 The policy of England continued to be expectant and dilatory. 1866 A. Flint Princ. Med. (1880) 112 The treatment of a disease is expectant whenever the physician does not attempt to abridge or arrest it, but strives to aid in conducting it to a favorable termination. |
3. Law. Existing in expectancy, or belonging to one in reversion or remainder; reversionary. Hence, in ordinary lang.: To be expected or anticipated.
| 1628 Coke On Litt. 21 He hath..a fee simple expectant. 1670 Sir T. Culpeper Necess. Abating Usury 13 Upon the Encouragement of a long..lease, he..will be enabled to venture on Improvements chargeable and expectant. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 217 On her..the remainder of the crown, expectant on the death of king William..without issue, was settled by statute. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) II. 660 We encourage ourselves to any..disagreeable task by prospect of the profit expectant therefrom. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 25 The right of the remainder-man, expectant on the determination of the estate tail. 1827 Jarman Powell's Devises II. 111 The fee expectant on his wife's life estate. 1858–9 Act 21–2 Vict. c. 44 §11 in Oxf. & Camb. Enactm. 264 The reversion immediately expectant on the determination thereof. |
B. n.
1. One who expects an arrival, occurrence, etc.; one who looks to receive something.
| a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Middlesex, [Sir Julius Cæsar] though heaved at by some Expectants, sate still in his place. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. Apol. 539 Eager Expectants of this great happiness. 1706 Collier Refl. Ridic. 235 They'll submit all their inferiours and expectants to all their whims and fancies. 1725 Pope Odyss. i. 323 Vain expectants of the bridal hour. 1866 J. G. Murphy Comm. Ex. xxxii. 1 Moses delayed, literally, put the expectants to shame by his non-appearance. 1877 Kinglake Crimea (ed. 6) V. i 235 From moment to moment he was an expectant of death. |
2. a. One entitled to expect something to which he will succeed or come in due course, as an owner in reversion, the next heir, etc. In Eng. Law = expectant heir: see A. 1 c.
| 1625–8 tr. Camden's Hist. Eliz. iv. 564 Those that are Expectants of the Crown. 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes III. ix. 127 This puts..the Expectant, to fresh charge. 1686 Kettlewell Serm. Death Ld. Digby 3 Those who are now no longer..Expectants, but inherit the Promises. 1751 Ld. Hardwicke 2 Ves. Sr. 157 [The species of fraud] which infects catching bargains with heirs, reversioners, or expectants, in the life of the father, etc. 1788 H Walpole Remin. iii. 27 Some devoting themselves to the wearer of the crown, and others to the expectant. 1817 Canning in Parl. Deb. 330 The impatient expectants of a dilapidated inheritance. 1853 Marsden Early Purit. 186 James, King of Scotland, the eager expectant of their throne. |
b. A candidate for, or one who expects, any office or employment. In Scotland, formerly, ‘a candidate for the ministry who has not yet received a license to preach the gospel’ (Jam.).
| 1641 Act Assembly Glasgow 7 Aug. (Jam.), No expectant shall be permitted to preach in publike before a congregation til first he be tryed after the same manner. 1646 Burd. Issach. in Phenix (1708) II. 264 Students in Divinity..are enrol'd Expectants of such or such a Presbytery. 1647 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. vi. (1739) 28 This may give some liking to the present Incumbents, but not to the Expectants. 1692 in J. Fisher's Life i. 10 [They would be pleased] to desire Mr. Thomas Fisher expectant..to come and preach to them. 1802 Ann. Reg. 2 The spirit of violence..manifested..by..the expectants of government. 1852 Sir W. Hamilton Discuss. 401 A clerical expectant, whose hopes are bounded by a College living. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 295 Name whom he might, he could not fail to disappoint..a multitude of expectants. |
Hence exˈpectantly adv., in an expectant manner; in the attitude of expectation.
| 1857 W. Collins Dead Secret (1861) 238 His head turned expectantly in the direction in which he had last heard..his wife's voice. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. iv. xxx, The children..stood in front of her with their sweet faces up⁓turned expectantly. |