hope

¹

[ hohp ]

noun

1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best:

   to give up hope.

   Synonyms: longing, expectancy, aspiration

2. a particular instance of this feeling:

   the hope of winning.

3. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance:

   There is little or no hope of his recovery.

4. a person or thing in which expectations are centered:

   The medicine was her last hope.

5. something that is hoped for:

   Her forgiveness is my constant hope.

verb (used with object)

, hoped, hop·ing.

1. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.
2. to believe, desire, or trust:

   I hope that my work will be satisfactory.

verb (used without object)

, hoped, hop·ing.

1. to feel that something desired may happen:

   We hope for an early spring.

2. Archaic. to place trust; rely (usually followed by in ).

Hope

²

[ hohp ]

noun

1. Anthony, pen name of Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins.
2. Bob Leslie Townes Hope, 1903–2003, U.S. comedian, born in England.
3. John, 1868–1936, U.S. educator.
4. a town in SW Arkansas.
5. a female given name.

hope

¹

/ həʊp /

noun

1. sometimes plural a feeling of desire for something and confidence in the possibility of its fulfilment

   his hope for peace was justified

   their hopes were dashed

2. a reasonable ground for this feeling

   there is still hope

3. a person or thing that gives cause for hope
4. a thing, situation, or event that is desired

   my hope is that prices will fall

5. not a hope or some hope
   used ironically to express little confidence that expectations will be fulfilled

verb

1. tr; takes a clause as object or an infinitive to desire (something) with some possibility of fulfilment

   I hope to tell you

   we hope you can come

2. introften foll byfor to have a wish (for a future event, situation, etc)
3. tr; takes a clause as object to trust, expect, or believe

   we hope that this is satisfactory

Hope

²

/ həʊp /

noun

1. HopeAnthony18631933MEnglishWRITING: novelist Anthony, real name Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins. 1863–1933, English novelist; author of The Prisoner of Zenda (1894)
2. HopeBob19032003MUSEnglishTHEATRE: comedianTHEATRE: comic actor Bob, real name Leslie Townes Hope. 1903–2003, US comedian and comic actor, born in England. His films include The Cat and the Canary (1939), Road to Morocco (1942), and The Paleface (1947). He was awarded an honorary knighthood in 1998
3. HopeDavid (Michael)1940MBritishRELIGION: churchman David ( Michael ). Baron. born 1940, British churchman, Archbishop of York (1995–2005)

Derived Forms

• ˈhoper, noun

Other Words From

• hop·er noun
• hop·ing·ly adverb
• self-hope noun
• un·hop·ing adjective
• un·hop·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hope¹

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English hopa; cognate with Dutch hoop, German Hoffe; (verb) Middle English hopen, Old English hopian

Word History and Origins

Origin of hope¹

Old English hopa; related to Old Frisian hope, Dutch hoop, Middle High German hoffe

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. hope against hope, to continue to hope, although the outlook does not warrant it:

   We are hoping against hope for a change in her condition.

More idioms and phrases containing hope

• great white hope
• in hopes of
• live in (hope of)
• not a hope in hell
• pin one's hopes on
• while there's life, there's hope

Example Sentences

The hope is to get them to start heeding the principles in their products and influence other companies and organizations to do the same.

From MIT Technology Review

“You cannot gas the company and throw unlimited resources at problems and hope for the best, which a lot of startups do and this one did as well,” he says.

From Fortune

Not really, because the substitute for Kodak was so radically different, in Instagram, as a way of sharing memories and photos, that they probably had no hope.

From Freakonomics

That may be ambitious rhetoric, pinning a lot of hope on what a digital version might do for the yuan’s global standing.

From Quartz

The hope is that all those activations help turn Amazon into a branding channel for Buick, whether it’s targeted ads in cars, on the marketplace or on Amazon Fire TV.

From Digiday

The hope was that greater transparency about performance would drive results.

From The Daily Beast

Speaking to a local radio station today Antonella Ramelli said the video gives her hope.

From The Daily Beast

“The closer we get to ‘16, the tougher it’s going to be, so I hope we start quickly,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

“We hope that the aircraft is found quickly, and we can find out the cause of what has happened,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

Now imagine that one day hope appeared, an unexpected opportunity to free yourself, to finally be yourself.

From The Daily Beast

Joe looked at her with a smile, his face still solemn and serious for all its youth and the fires of new-lit hope behind his eyes.

From Project Gutenberg

There was no doubt thought of his own loss in this question: yet there was, one may hope, a germ of solicitude for the mother too.

From Project Gutenberg

But I hope at least to play to him a few times, and what is more important, to hear him play repeatedly.

From Project Gutenberg

"I hope you don't think I speak always to strangers, like that," said the girl in the rose hat.

From Project Gutenberg

You don't mind staying here in the sunshine, I hope, while my coat dries?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• anticipate
• assume
• believe
• cherish
• count on
• expect
• hold
• wish

When To Use

What are other ways to say hope?

To hope for something is to look forward to it with desire and reasonable confidence. When should you use this verb over anticipate, expect, or await? Find out on Thesaurus.com.