Across this selection of literary works, authors employ “expect” to signal anticipation, reliance, or social norms. In some instances, “expect” invokes economic or transactional desires, as when Mozart in [1] states, “I expect to receive at least eight louis-d’or,” highlighting a clear, monetary expectation. In other texts, “expect” underscores hope or inevitability, as with Alcott’s exasperated query, “What the dickens does the fellow expect?” in [2], or Doyle’s calm reassurance, “I expect him back every minute,” in [3]. Social obligations and decorum also surface when Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet insists that Lady Catherine “can hardly expect me to own it” in [4], demonstrating resistance to external, imposed expectations. Conversely, the word can question the limits of hope or morality, as Dostoyevsky’s character challenges, “Why do you expect reward in heaven for that?” in [5], revealing deeper philosophical stakes. Taken together, these varied usages illustrate how “expect” often functions as a barometer of both practical demands and moral or emotional anticipations in literature.