anticipation
an·tic·i·pa·tion
/ænˌtısəˈpeıʃən/ noun [ noncount ]
1 : a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen
She had a feeling of great anticipation before her graduation ceremony.
He looked forward to the party with anticipation.
The actor's fans were trembling with/in anticipation [=excitement] when his limousine drove up.
2 : the act of preparing for something
They hired extra police officers in anticipation of a big crowd [=because they expected a big crowd] at the concert.
an·tic·i·pa·to·ry /ænˈtısəpəˌtori, Brit ænˌtısəˈpeıtri, ænˈtısəpətri/ adj , formal
the anticipatory excitement before a baseball play-off game
The town took anticipatory measures to prevent a flood.
