In Forth, how many characters does 'expect' read? -

the forth-83 spec defines word expect follows:

      expect       addr +n --                    m,83                             receive characters , store each memory.  transfer            begins @ addr proceeding towards higher addresses 1 byte            per character until either "return" received or until            +n characters have been transferred.  no more +n            characters stored.  "return" not stored            memory.  no characters received or transferred if +n            zero.  characters received , stored            memory displayed, "return" displaying            space. 

so, reads to, not including, return or eol.

but without terminator, , without returning number of characters read, how know string ends?

leo brodie refers word accept, similar, has signature ( addr +n -- +m ). return number of characters read, i'd expect. that's not in spec...

the standard defines span, tells number of characters read.

also note, in new standard function obsolete, use accept instead.