hope

 
Pronunciation: /həʊp/

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen: he looked through her belongings in the hope of coming across some information [count noun]: I had high hopes of making the Olympic team
  • [count noun] a person or thing that may help or save someone: their only hope is surgery
  • grounds for believing that something good may happen: he does see some hope for the future
  • 2 archaic a feeling of trust: our private friendship, upon hope and affiance whereof, I presume to be your petitioner

verb

[no object]
  • want something to happen or be the case: he’s hoping for an offer of compensation [with clause]: I hope that the kids are OK
  • [with infinitive] intend if possible to do something: we’re hoping to address all these issues

Phrases

hope against hope

cling to a mere possibility: they were hoping against hope that he would find a way out

hope for the best

hope for a favourable outcome: I’ll just wait at home and hope for the best

hope springs eternal (in the human breast)

proverb it is human nature always to find fresh cause for optimism.

not a hope (in hell)

informal no chance at all: he hasn’t got a hope in hell of winning next year

some hope

British informal used to convey that there is very little chance that something will happen: he predicted a new world order in which nations would learn to live happily with their neighbours. Some hope!

Derivatives

hoper

noun

Origin:

late Old English hopa (noun), hopian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoop (noun), hopen (verb), and German hoffen (verb)