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, XLIV. 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. T. 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. Miss 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. Miss Broughton, As a 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. Shaks., 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 that 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 Subseciuæ, 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.
