- anticipate
- 1530s, "to cause to happen sooner," from L. anticipatus, pp. of anticipare "take (care of) ahead of time," lit. "taking into possession beforehand," from ante "before" (see ante) + capere "to take" (see capable). Later "to be aware of (something) coming at a future time" (1640s). Used in the sense of "expect, look forward to" since 1749, but anticipate has an element of "prepare for, forestall" that should prevent its being used as a synonym for expect. Related: Anticipatory (1660s).