an·tic·i·pa·tion/ænˏtɪsə`peʃən; ænˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/ n [U] 1 a hopeful feeling that something good is going to happen 〔对美好事物的〕期望，预期: I was full of excitement and anticipation as I started off on my journey. 我启程时充满了兴奋和期望。 2 in anticipation of if you do something in anticipation of something happening, you prepare for it before it happens 预料到…而〔作好准备〕