(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If you ~ something to happen, you believe that it will happen.
...a council workman who ~s to lose his job in the next few weeks...
The talks are ~ed to continue until tomorrow...
Few ~ed that he would declare his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the presidency...
It is ~ed that the new owner will change the yacht’s name...
They ~ a gradual improvement in sales of new cars.
VERB: V to-inf, V n to-inf, V that, it be V-ed that, V n
2.
If you are ~ing something or someone, you believe that they will be delivered to you or come to you soon, often because this has been arranged earlier.
I wasn’t ~ing a visitor...
We were ~ing him home again any day now.
VERB: usu cont, V n, V adv n
3.
If you ~ something, or ~ a person to do something, you believe that it is your right to have that thing, or the person’s duty to do it for you.
He wasn’t ~ing our hospitality...
I do ~ to have some time to myself in the evenings...
I wasn’t ~ing you to help...
Is this a rational thing to ~ of your partner, or not?...
She realizes now she ~ed too much of Helen.
VERB: V n, V to-inf, V n to-inf, V n of n, V amount of n
4.
If you tell someone not to ~ something, you mean that the thing is unlikely to happen as they have planned or imagined, and they should not hope that it will.
Don’t ~ an instant cure...
You cannot ~ to like all the people you will work with...
Don’t ~ me to come and visit you there.
VERB: with brd-neg, V n, V to-inf, V n to-inf
5.
If you say that a woman is ~ing a baby, or that she is ~ing, you mean that she is pregnant.
She was ~ing another baby...
I hear Dawn’s ~ing again.
VERB: only cont, V n, V
6.
You say ‘I ~’ to suggest that a statement is probably correct, or a natural consequence of the present situation, although you have no definite knowledge. (SPOKEN)
I ~ you can guess what follows...
I ~ you’re tired...
‘Will Joe be here at Christmas?’—‘I ~ so.’...
PHRASE: PHR that, PHR so/not