477
expertise
looking forward to meeting her. If you hope for
something, you want it to happen and you think there is a
possibility that it might happen: We're all hoping for fine
weather. | I hope (that) the weather will be fine for the
match. → see also WAIT (USAGE)
expect sthg. of sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] to hope or think it
likely that (someone or something) will be or do (some-
thing): There's no need to give me the money; I don't expect it
of you. | I wouldn't have expected such rudeness of her. (=I
would not have thought she would be so rude) | Don't expect
too much of his idea. (=don't think it likely to be good)
ex-pec-tan-cy /ɪk'spektənsi/ n [U] hope; the state of
expecting: We waited for the announcement in a state of
happy expectancy. → see also LIFE EXPECTANCY
ex-pec-tant /ɪk'spektənt/ adj 1 waiting hopefully: The
expectant crowds waited patiently for the queen. 2 [A no comp.]
PREGNANT: a clinic for expectant mothers —-ly adv: They
waited expectantly.
ex-pec-ta-tion /ˌekspek'teɪʃən/ n [C;U] the act of expecting
or something that is expected: He has little expectation of
passing the exam. (=does not expect to pass) | We thought
Mary would pass, but against/contrary to (all) expecta-
tion(s) she didn't. | We thought John would do well, but he has
succeeded beyond expectation/our expectations. | They
closed the windows in expectation of (=because they
expected) rain. | I usually enjoy his films, but that one didn't
come up to/live up to my expectations. (=was not as good as I
expected)
expec,tation of 'life n [C;U] LIFE EXPECTANCY
ex-pect-ing /ɪk'spektɪŋ/ adj [F] infml, euph for PREGNANT; a
word used especially in speech: My wife's expecting again.
ex-pec-to-rant /ɪk'spektərənt/ n a type of cough medicine
that helps to get rid of PHLEGM
ex-pe-di-ent¹ /ɪk'spiːdiənt/ adj (of a course of action) useful
or helpful for a purpose, especially one's own purpose or
advantage, although not necessarily morally correct: She
thought it expedient not to tell her mother where she had been.
→ opposite INEXPEDIENT —-ly adv —-ency, -ence n [U] The
government will not condemn the former dictator. It is a
question of expediency. (=it is not to the government's advan-
tage to do so) | His behaviour seems to be governed solely by
expediency.
expedient² n a useful plan, idea, or action, especially one
thought of in a hurry because of an urgent need: As she had
forgotten her keys, she got into the house by the simple expedient
of climbing through a window.
ex-pe-dite /'ekspədaɪt/ v [T] fml to make (a plan or arrange-
ment) go faster: We appealed to the government to expedite the
procedure for the release of the prisoners.
ex-pe-di-tion /ˌekspə'dɪʃən/ n 1 [C+sing./pl. v] (the people,
vehicles etc going on) a (long) journey for a certain purpose:
I'm sending/taking part in/going on an expedition to photo-
graph wild animals in Africa. | an expedition to the North
Pole 2 [U] fml the quality of being expeditious
ex-pe-di-tion-a-ry /ˌekspə'dɪʃənərɪ||-neri/ adj [A] of or
being an army sent abroad to fight: The British Expeditionary
Force went to France in 1914.
ex-pe-di-tious /ˌekspə'dɪʃəs/ adj fml (of people or their
actions) quick and without delay —-ly adv
ex-pel /ɪk'spel/ v -ll- [T(from)] 1 to send away by force,
especially from a country; force to leave: After the outbreak
of fighting, all foreign journalists were expelled. 2 to dismiss
officially from a school, club etc. People are usually expelled
for breaking the rules by behaving in a way which is
completely unacceptable: If I catch you smoking in the school
grounds again, you'll be expelled. 3 fml to force out from the
body or a container: She expelled the air from her lungs. →
see also EXPULSION
ex-pend /ɪk'spend/ v [T(in, on)] to spend or use up (especially
time, care, effort etc): Don't expend all your energy on such a
useless job.
ex-pen-da-ble /ɪk'spendəbəl/ adj that may be used up for a
purpose: The officer regarded his soldiers as expendable. (=did
not mind if they were killed)
ex-pen-di-ture /ɪk'spendɪtʃər/ n [S;U(of, on)] spending or
using up: Government expenditure on education is rising. →
compare INCOME
ex-pense /ɪk'spens/ n [S;U] 1 cost in money, time, or effort:
I don't know how the government can justify the expense of the
project. | It's too much of an expense to own a car. | At great
expense (=by paying a lot of money) I was finally able to buy
the painting. | She spared no expense/went to a lot of
expense (=spent a lot of money) to make the wedding a
success. | I don't want to put you to the expense of (=make you
pay for) buying me dinner. | (fig.) He finished the job at the
expense of (=causing the loss of) his health. 2 at someone's
expense a) with someone paying the cost: He had his book
printed at his own expense. b) (especially of a joke or trick)
against someone, so as to make them seem silly: He tried to
be clever at my expense. → see also EXPENSES
ex'pense ac,count n a record of money spent in travel,
hotels etc, in the course of one's work, which will be paid by
one's employer: I'm on an expense account. (=have the cost of
food, travel etc paid by my employer) | expense-account
lunches
ex-pens-es /ɪk'spensɪz/ n [P] the money used or needed for
a purpose, often money paid by an employer for travel costs
etc which people have as part of their job: Her company sent
her to Paris and paid all her expenses. | She was sent to Paris
all expenses paid. | travelling/holiday/funeral expenses | I
didn't pay for the train fare - it was on expenses.
ex-pen-sive /ɪk'spensɪv/ adj costing a lot of money, espe-
cially in relation to the amount of money a buyer has or to
other things of a similar kind: Your fur coat looks expensive/
must have been expensive. | a very expensive watch/present |
(fig.) Letting that goal in was an expensive mistake. It cost us
the championship. —-ly adv
ex-pe-ri-ence¹ /ɪk'spɪəriəns/ n 1 [U(of)] (the gaining of)
knowledge or skill which comes from practice in an activity
or doing something for a long time, rather than from books:
How many years' experience do you have of teaching
English? | Don't correct him all the time - he'll learn by
experience. | I know from my own experience how difficult this
kind of work can be. 2 [C] something that happens to one
and has an effect on the mind and feelings: Our journey by
camel was quite an experience. | a fascinating/traumatic/
humiliating experience
experience² v [T] to feel, suffer, or learn by (an) experience:
For the first time, we experienced defeat. | I experienced great
difficulty in getting a visa to leave the country. | Our country
has experienced great changes in the last 30 years.
ex-pe-ri-enced /ɪk'spɪəriənst/ adj [(at, in)] often apprec having
skill or knowledge as a result of much experience: She's a
very experienced traveller. (=has travelled a lot) | an experi-
enced lawyer | She's very experienced at/in repairing cars.
ex-per-i-en-tial /ˌɪkspɪəri'enʃəl/ adj fml based on experi-
ence; EMPIRICAL —-ly adv
ex-per-i-ment¹ /ɪk'sperɪmənt/ n [C(on);U] (a) trial made in
order to learn something or prove the truth of an idea: They
did/carried out/performed an experiment on the monkey to
test the new drug. | We hope to find the answer to this problem
by experiment. | an economic/social experiment
ex-per-i-ment² /ɪk'sperɪmənt/ v [| (on, with)] to do an experi-
ment: Is it right to experiment on animals? | They experi-
mented with the new materials. | We found the right fuel
mixture by experimenting.
ex-per-i-men-tal /ˌɪksperɪ'mentl/ adj used for or con-
nected with experiments: an experimental farm | This ver-
sion is purely experimental, but we hope to have a commercial
model soon. —-ly adv
ex-per-i-men-ta-tion /ˌɪkˌsperɪmen'teɪʃən/ n [U] the mak-
ing of experiments: After much experimentation they discov-
ered how to split the atom.
ex-pert /'ekspɜːt||-ɜːrt/ n, adj [(at, in, on)] (a person) with
special skill or knowledge which comes from experience or
training: a medical/scientific/economic expert | She's (an)
expert at/in/on teaching small children. | He's expert at hid-
ing his feelings. | an expert card-player —-ly adv —-ness n
[U]
ex-per-tise /ˌekspː'tiːz||-ɜːr-/ n [U] skill in a particular field;