different between proposal vs expectation

English

Etymology

propose +? -al

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /p???po?z?l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p???p??z?l/

Noun

proposal (plural proposals)

1. Something which is proposed, or offered for consideration or acceptance
   1. A scheme or design

   2. The terms or conditions proposed
      • 1880, Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad Chapter VIII

        "That's about the size of it," I said. "Now, if it is a fair question, what was your side proposing to shed?" / I had him, there. He saw he had made a blunder, so he hastened to explain it away. He said he had spoken jestingly. Then he added that he and his principal would enjoy axes, and indeed prefer them, but such weapons were barred by the French code, and so I must change my proposal.

   3. The document on which such a thing is written.
      • December 22 2016, Simon Parkin in the Irish Times Basement idea to blockbuster: The story of Fifa, the video game

        Lewis, who had been sent to London to set up EA's European office, wrote a proposal for a lavish, high-tech football...

   4. The act of asking someone to be one's spouse; an offer of marriage
      • October 25 2013, Guardian Express Kim Kardashian Says a Prenup Is the Only Way to Marry

        Kanye may have been love stricken when Kim accepted his proposal to marry him but Kim has always supported the idea of a prenup.

      • 1922, P. G. Wodehouse, Three Men and a Maid Chapter 4

        You could open his collected works almost anywhere and shut your eyes and dab down your finger on some red-hot passage. A proposal of marriage is a thing which it is rather difficult to bring neatly into the ordinary run of conversation. It wants leading up to.

      • 1854, Charles Dickens, Hard Times Chapter XV

        ‘Louisa, my dear, you are the subject of a proposal of marriage that has been made to me.’ Again he waited, and again she answered not one word. This so far surprised him, as to induce him gently to repeat, ‘a proposal of marriage, my dear.’ To which she returned, without any visible emotion whatever:

   5. (law) The offer by a party of what he has in view as to an intended business transaction, which, with acceptance, constitutes a contract.

Synonyms

• proffer
• tender
• overture

Derived terms

Related terms

• proposition

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle French expectation, from Latin exspect?ti?, from exspect? (“expect”); synchronically analyzable as expect +? -ation.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?ksp?k?te???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

expectation (countable and uncountable, plural expectations)

1. The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen.

   • “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; […]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

2. That which is expected or looked for.
3. The prospect of the future; grounds upon which something excellent is expected to occur; prospect of anything good to come, especially of property or rank.
   • 1816, Jane Austen, Emma, Vol.1 Ch.7:

     Emma was not sorry to be pressed. She read, and was surprized. The style of the letter was much above her expectation. There were not merely no grammatical errors, but as a composition it would not have disgraced a gentleman; the language, though plain, was strong and unaffected, and the sentiments it conveyed very much to the credit of the writer. It was short, but expressed good sense, warm attachment, liberality, propriety, even delicacy of feeling. She paused over it, while Harriet stood anxiously watching for her opinion, with a "Well, well," and was at last forced to add, "Is it a good letter? or is it too short?"

4. The value of any chance (as the prospect of prize or property) which depends upon some contingent event.
5. (statistics) The first moment; the long-run average value of a variable over many independent repetitions of an experiment.
6. (colloquial statistics) The arithmetic mean.
7. (medicine, rare) The leaving of a disease principally to the efforts of nature to effect a cure.

Usage notes

• (value of any chance): Expectations are computed for or against the occurrence of the event.

Synonyms

• (colloquial statistics, arithmetic mean): arithmetic mean; average

Related terms

• expect
• expectant
• expected

Translations

See also

• (statistics): Wikipedia:Expected value