expectancy

plural expectancies · alternative expectance

1. countableuncountableExpectation or anticipation; the state of expecting something.

   [T]he Dukes dissembled their feares, and dissolued their forces, and remained in expectancie what would ensue.

   1599, John Hayward, The First Part of the Life and Raigne of King Henrie IIII. Extending to the end of the first yeare of his raigne, London: John Woolfe, page 39

   5 more examples

   If you foresee not this misery, and the fatall consequence which necessarily must follow such a turn of Fortune, I must leave you to your own will and expectancy […]

   1651, John Milton, The Life and Reigne of King Charls, London: W. Reybold, page 110

   [T]his is generally thought to repreſent the Vices of Nero, vvho […] did from the higheſt Expectancy become a ſtubborn and a fooliſh Tyrant.

   1735, Titus Petronius Arbiter, “The Feast of Trimalchio, Imitaded. From Titus Petronius Arbiter. Convivium Sybariticum. Præludium.”, in Alexander Pope, translated by [anonymous], Mr Pope’s Literary Correspondence, volume II, London: […] E[dmund] Curll, […], →OCLC, pages 42–43

   Renewed hope followed renewed effort; it shone like the former for some weeks, then, like it, it faded, flickered: not a line, not a word reached me. When half a year wasted in vain expectancy, my hope died out; and then I felt dark indeed.

   1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter VIII, in Jane Eyre. […], volume III, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, pages 201–202

   Six minutes later Clovis approached the supper-table, in the blessed expectancy of one who has dined sketchily and long ago.

   1912, Saki, “The Match-Maker”, in The Chronicles of Clovis, London: John Lane, page 23

   Great Danes have relatively short life expectancies compared to smaller dogs, living for an average of 8-10 years, and males are typically about 2.5 feet (0.76 meters) tall, according to the American Kennel Club.

   2024 June 25, Issy Ronald, “Kevin, world’s tallest male dog, dies shortly after securing record”, in CNN

2. countableuncountableThe state of being expected.
3. countableuncountablelawFuture interest as to possession or enjoyment
4. countableuncountablemathematicsexpectation; expected value
5. countableobsoleteuncountableSomething expected or awaited.

   O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown! / The courtier’s, scholar’s, soldier’s, eye, tongue, sword, / Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state […]

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

   1 more example

   […] Frederic II. King of Prussia, in consequence of an expectancy granted to the house of Brandenburg, by the Emperor Leopold in 1604, took possession of East Friezland […]

   1791, John Trusler, chapter 9, in The Habitable World Described, volume 10, London: for the author, page 157