Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense hopes, present participle hoping, past tense, past participle hoped
1. verb
If you hope that something is true, or if you hope for something, you want it to be true or to happen, and you usually believe that it is possible or likely.
She had decided she must go on as usual, follow her normal routine, and hope andpray. [VERB]
He hesitates before leaving, almost as though he had been hoping for conversation. [VERB + for]
I hope to get a job within the next two weeks. [VERB to-infinitive]
The researchers hope that such a vaccine could be available in about ten years' time. [VERB that]
'We'll speak again.'—'I hope so.' [Vso/not]
'Will it happen again?'—'I hope not, but you never know.' [Vso/not]
2. verb
If you say that you cannot hopefor something, or if you talk about the only thing that you can hopeto get, you mean that you are in a bad situation, and there is very little chance of improving it.
Things aren't ideal, but that's the best you can hope for. [VERB + for]
I always knew it was too much to hope for. [VERBfor noun]
...these mountains, which no one can hope to penetrate. [VERB to-infinitive]
Hope is also a noun.
The only hope for underdeveloped countries is to become, as far as possible, self-reliant.
The car was smashed beyond any hope of repair.
3. uncountable noun
Hope is a feeling of desire and expectation that things will go well in the future.
Now that he has become President, many people once again have hope for genuine changesin the system.
But Kevin hasn't given up hope of being fit. [+ of]
Consumer groups still hold out hope that the president will change his mind.
Thousands of childless couples are to be given new hope by the government.
Synonyms: belief, confidence, expectation, longing More Synonyms of hope
4. countable noun [NOUN that]
If someone wants something to happen, and considers it likely or possible, you can refer to their hopesof that thing, or to their hopethat it will happen.
They have hopes of increasing trade between the two regions. [+ of]
The delay in the programme has dashed Japan's hopes of commercial success in space. [+ of]
My hope is that, in the future, I will go over there and marry her.
5. countable noun
If you think that the help or success of a particular person or thing will cause you to be successful or to get what you want, you can refer to them as your hope.
...England's last hope in the English Open Table Tennis Championships.
He was one of our best hopes for a gold at the Commonwealth Games.
6.
See to hope for the best
7.
See get/build your hopes up
8.
See not a hope in hell
9.
See high/great hopes
10.
See hope against hope
11.
See I hope
12.
See I hope
13.
See I hope
14.
See in the hope of/that
15.
See live in hope
16.
See some hope/not a hope
More Synonyms of hope
hope in British English
(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
verb
6. (tr; takes a clause as object or an infinitive)
to desire (something) with some possibility of fulfilment
we hope you can come
I hope to tell you
7. (intransitive; often foll byfor)
to have a wish (for a future event, situation, etc)
8. (tr; takes a clause as object)
to trust, expect, or believe
we hope that this is satisfactory
Derived forms
hoper (ˈhoper)
noun
Word origin
Old English hopa; related to Old Frisian hope, Dutch hoop, Middle High German hoffe
Hope in British English
(həʊp)
noun
1.
Anthony, real name Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins. 1863–1933, English novelist; author of The Prisoner of Zenda (1894)
2.
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.
David (Michael). Baron. born 1940, British churchman, Archbishop of York (1995–2005)
Hope in American English1
(hoʊp)
noun
a feminine name
Word origin
< hope
Hope in American English2
(hoʊp)
Pseudonym
Anthony(pseud. of Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins) 1863-1933; Eng. novelist
hope in American English
(hoʊp)
noun
1.
a feeling that what is wanted is likely to happen; desire accompanied by expectation
2.
the thing that one has a hope for
3.
a reason for hope
4.
a person or thing on which one may base some hope
5. Archaic
trust; reliance
verb transitiveWord forms: hoped or ˈhoping
6.
to have hope; want and expect
I hope to be there by 5:00
7.
to want very much
I hope that your sick dog will recover
verb intransitive
8.
to have hope (for)
9. Archaic
to trust or rely
SIMILAR WORDS: exˈpect
Idioms:
hope against hope
Derived forms
hoper (ˈhoper)
noun
Word origin
ME < OE hopa, akin to Du hoop < ? same IE base as hop1: orig. sense (?) “to leap up in expectation”
Word origin
ME hopen < OE hopian, to expect, look for, akin to Ger hoffen < ? same IE base as hop1: orig. sense (?) “to leap up in expectation”
Examples of 'hope' in a sentence
hope
They also hoped it would pressure them to release previous results.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She hopes it will help them accept how they really look.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We tried not to get our hopes up about it.
The Sun (2016)
Just as we all always hoped and prayed he would be.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He might have been but a few thousand held their breath in hope rather than expectation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We all have high hopes that the news will be positive.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They say they hope things happen to me and my family.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Our hope is that something will be done about this crisis in the health service.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's a natural desire to give hope and put a positive gloss on things.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You give them hope that the future of pop isn't manufactured.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We cannot face having those hopes dashed yet again.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Working alongside people you like and trust will help your highest hopes happen.
The Sun (2012)
But his hopes of success were dashed by the scenario unfolding behind him.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We are hoping to get to the beach.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We always hoped it would be something instant and easy.
Christianity Today (2000)
Her parents also hope that she will be a keen tennis player.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
What looms is hope rather than expectation.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
There were high hopes for the horse.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You have the courage to talk about your hopes for the future of a relationship.
The Sun (2008)
Sometimes they tell us things because they hope for something in return.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We work hard on our shows and we hope people will want to watch them.
The Sun (2014)
We hope the situation can be resolved as soon as possible.
The Sun (2006)
She has since resumed her studies and hopes to go to university.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We hope this ban becomes permanent and our rivers and meadows are allowed to recover.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
If he was hoping this would help his cause he was in for an unpleasant surprise.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He always hoped that the medal would come back to the family.
The Sun (2011)
It is hoped they will also put off thugs attacking cops if they know they are being filmed.
The Sun (2013)
After drawing with all but the group minnows we need a pair of results to give the nation hope again.
The Sun (2013)
The Range paints a vibrant and optimistic portrait of our hopes and desires.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
If the trial is a success, he hopes it will lead to other deals.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But he has high hopes for The Open.
The Sun (2014)
Quotations
Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never Is, but always To be blestAlexander PopeAn Essay on Man
He that lives upon hope will die fastingBenjamin FranklinPoor Richard's Almanack
He that lives in hope danceth without musicGeorge HerbertOutlandish Proverbs
While there's life, there's hopeCiceroLetters to Atticus
Hope is the poor man's breadGeorge HerbertJacula Prudentum
Abandon hope, all ye who enter hereDanteDivine Comedy
Hope is a good breakfast but a bad supper
In other languages
hope
British English: hope /həʊp/ NOUN
Hope is a feeling of desire and expectation that things will go well in the future.
He hasn't given up hope of finding her.
American English: hope
Arabic: أَمَل
Brazilian Portuguese: esperança
Chinese: 希望
Croatian: nada
Czech: naděje
Danish: håb
Dutch: hoop verwachting
European Spanish: esperanza
Finnish: toivo
French: espoir
German: Hoffnung
Greek: ελπίδα
Italian: speranza
Japanese: 希望
Korean: 희망
Norwegian: håp
Polish: nadzieja
European Portuguese: esperança
Romanian: speranță
Russian: надежда
Latin American Spanish: esperanza
Swedish: hopp förtröstan
Thai: ความหวัง
Turkish: umut
Ukrainian: надія
Vietnamese: niềm hy vọng
British English: hope /həʊp/ VERB
If you hope that something is true, or if you hopefor something, you want it to be true or to happen, and you usually believe that it is possible or likely.
Her family had hoped for something better for their daughter.
I hope to get a job within the next two weeks.
American English: hope
Arabic: يَأْمُلُ
Brazilian Portuguese: ter esperança
Chinese: 希望
Croatian: nadati se
Czech: doufat
Danish: håbe
Dutch: hopen
European Spanish: esperar esperanza
Finnish: toivoa
French: espérer
German: hoffen
Greek: ελπίζω
Italian: sperare
Japanese: 望む
Korean: 희망하다
Norwegian: håpe
Polish: mieć nadzieję
European Portuguese: ter esperança
Romanian: a spera
Russian: надеяться
Latin American Spanish: esperar
Swedish: hoppas
Thai: หวัง
Turkish: umut etmek
Ukrainian: сподіватися
Vietnamese: hy vọng
All related terms of 'hope'
I hope
You use ' I hope ' in expressions such as ' I hope you don't mind ' and ' I hope I'm not disturbing you ', when you are being polite and want to make sure that you have not offended someone or disturbed them.
Good Hope
Cape of cape at the SW tip of Africa, on the Atlantic
hope chest
a young woman's collection of clothes, linen , cutlery , etc, in anticipation of marriage
pious hope
a wish or desire that is unlikely to be fulfilled
white hope
a person who is expected to bring honour or glory to his or her group, team , etc
forlorn hope
a hopeless or desperate enterprise
Hope diamond
a sapphire-blue Indian diamond , the largest blue diamond in the world, weighing 44.5 carats and supposedly cut from a bigger diamond that was once part of the French crown jewels : now in the Smithsonian Institution
not a hope
used ironically to express little confidence that expectations will be fulfilled
Band of Hope
a society promoting lifelong abstention from alcohol among young people: founded in Britain in 1847
live in hope
If you live in hope that something will happen , you continue to hope that it will happen, although it seems unlikely , and you realize that you are being foolish .
hope against hope
If you hope against hope that something will happen , you hope that it will happen, although it seems impossible .
some hope/not a hope
If you say ' Some hope ', or ' Not a hope ', you think there is no possibility that something will happen , although you may want it to happen.
Cape of Good Hope
a cape in SW South Africa south of Cape Town
in the hope of/that
If you do one thing in the hope of another thing happening , you do it because you think it might cause or help the other thing to happen , which is what you want .
not a hope in hell
If you say that someone has not got a hope in hell of doing something, you are emphasizing that they will not be able to do it.
to hope for the best
If you are in a difficult situation and do something and hope for the best , you hope that everything will happen in the way you want , although you know that it may not.
Buckley's chance
no chance at all
Cape of Good Hope Province
a former province of S South Africa ; replaced in 1994 by the new provinces of Northern Cape , Western Cape, Eastern Cape and part of North-West. Capital: Cape Town
hope to hell/wish to hell
If you say you hope to hell or wish to hell that something is true , you are emphasizing that you strongly hope or wish it is true.
bottom drawer
a young woman's collection of clothes, linen , cutlery , etc, in anticipation of marriage
Cape Province
a former province of S South Africa ; replaced in 1994 by the new provinces of Northern Cape , Western Cape, Eastern Cape and part of North-West. Capital: Cape Town
cross my heart!
You can say ' cross my heart ' when you want someone to believe that you are telling the truth . You can also ask ' cross your heart? ', when you are asking someone if they are really telling the truth.
Chinese translation of 'hope'
hope
(həup)
vt
希望 (xīwàng)
⇒ I sat down, hoping to remain unnoticed.我坐下，希望没有被人注意到。 (Wǒ zuòxià, xīwàng méiyǒu bèi rén zhùyì dào.)
⇒ They hope that a vaccine will be available soon.他们希望很快能有疫苗。 (Tāmen xīwàng hěnkuài néng yǒu yìmiáo.)
vi
盼望 (pànwàng)
⇒ Nothing can be done except to wait, hope, and pray.除了等待、期望和祈祷外，什么都没用。 (Chúle děngdài, qīwàng hé qídǎo wài, shénme dōu méiyòng.)
n
(u)希望 (xīwàng)
⇒ She never completely gave up hope.她从来没有完全放弃希望。 (Tā cónglái méiyǒu wánquán fàngqì xīwàng.)
(c) (= aspiration) 期望 (qīwàng) (种(種), zhǒng)
⇒ the hopes and dreams of reformers改革者的期望和梦想 (gǎigézhě de qīwàng hé mèngxiǎng)
I hope so/not希望是这(這)样(樣)/希望不会(會) (xīwàng shì zhèyàng/xīwàng bùhuì)
to hope that ... 希望 ... (xīwàng ... )
I hope you don't mind希望你不介意 (xīwàng nǐ bù jièyì)
to hope to do sth希望能做某事 (xīwàng néng zuò mǒushì)
to hope for the best保持乐(樂)观(觀) (bǎochí lèguān)
to have no hope of sth/doing sth对(對)某事/做某事不抱希望 (duì mǒushì/zuò mǒushì bù bào xīwàng)
in the hope of/that ... 希望 ... (xīwàng ... )
to hope against hope that ... 抱有一线(線)希望 ... (bàoyǒu yī xiàn xīwàng ... )
I hope that the police will take the strongest action against them.
Synonyms
believe
Don't believe what you read in the papers.
expect
We expect the talks will continue until tomorrow.
trust
We trust that they are considering our suggestion.
rely
look forward to
anticipate
We could not have anticipated the result of our campaigning.
contemplate
count on
foresee
keep your fingers crossed
cross your fingers
(noun)
Definition
a feeling of desire for something, usually with confidence in the possibility of its fulfilment
Kevin hasn't given up hope of being fit.
Synonyms
belief
a belief in personal liberty
confidence
I have every confidence in you.
expectation
His nerves tingled with expectation.
longing
He felt a longing for the familiar.
dream
My dream is to have a house in the country.
desire
I had a strong desire to help and care for people.
faith
She had placed a great deal of faith in him.
ambition
My ambition is to sail round the world.
assumption
They are wrong in their assumption that we are all alike.
anticipation
There's been an atmosphere of anticipation round here for some days.
expectancy
The atmosphere here at the stadium is one of expectancy.
light at the end of the tunnel
Opposites
doubt
,
despair
,
dread
,
distrust
,
hopelessness
phrasal verb
See hope for something
Quotations
Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never Is, but always To be blest [Alexander Pope – An Essay on Man]He that lives upon hope will die fasting [Benjamin Franklin – Poor Richard's Almanack]He that lives in hope danceth without music [George Herbert – Outlandish Proverbs]While there's life, there's hope [Cicero – Letters to Atticus]Hope is the poor man's bread [George Herbert – Jacula Prudentum]Abandon hope, all ye who enter here [Dante – Divine Comedy]
proverb
Hope is a good breakfast but a bad supper
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ambition
Definition
something so desired
My ambition is to sail round the world.
Synonyms
goal,
end,
hope,
design,
dream,
target,
aim,
wish,
purpose,
desire,
intention,
objective,
intent,
aspiration,
Holy Grail (informal)
in the sense of anticipate
Definition
to foresee and act in advance of
We could not have anticipated the result of our campaigning.
Synonyms
expect,
predict,
forecast,
prepare for,
look for,
hope for,
envisage,
foresee,
bank on,
apprehend,
foretell,
think likely,
count upon
in the sense of anticipation
Definition
the act of anticipating
There's been an atmosphere of anticipation round here for some days.