| The American Heritage® Book of English Usage. |
A Practical and Authoritative Guide to Contemporary English. 1996.
|
3. Word Choice: New Uses, Common Confusion, and Constraints
|
| § 29. anticipate |
| Some people hold that you should never use anticipate as a synonym for expect, as in We didn’t anticipate that it would take so long to drive across Ohio. They would restrict its use to situations in which advance action is taken either to forestall an occurrence (as in She anticipated her opponent’s next move) or to fulfill a desire (as in He anticipated my wish by making reservations at the Mexican restaurant). In earlier surveys, however, a majority of the Usage Panel accepted the use of anticipate to mean “to feel or to realize beforehand” and “to look forward to.” Thus by their lights it is OK to say They really anticipate the joys of homeownership or We’re anticipating a larger turnout at this year’s school fair. | 1 |
|
|
|
| The American Heritage® Book of English Usage. Copyright © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
|
|
