/ həʊp; NAmE hoʊp/ verb , noun
■ verb
hope (for sth) to want sth to happen and think that it is possible :
[ v ]
We are hoping for good weather on Sunday.
All we can do now is wait and hope.
'Do you think it will rain?' ' I hope not .'
'Will you be back before dark?' ' I hope so , yes.'
[ v ( that )]
I hope (that) you're okay.
Let's hope we can find a parking space.
[ vn ( that )]
It is hoped that over £10 000 will be raised.
[ v to inf ]
She is hoping to win the gold medal.
We hope to arrive around two.
HELP NOTE : Hope can be used in the passive in the form it is hoped that ... . For must always be used with hope in other passive sentences:
The improvement that had been hoped for never came.
The hoped-for improvement never came.
•
IDIOMS
- hope against hope (that ... )
- hope for the best
- I should hope so / not | so I should hope
■ noun
1.
[ U , C ] hope (of / for sth) | hope (of doing sth) | hope (that ... ) a belief that sth you want will happen :
There is now hope of a cure.
Hopes for the missing men are fading.
There is little hope that they will be found alive.
They have given up hope of finding any more survivors.
The future is not without hope.
Don't raise your hopes too high, or you may be disappointed.
I'll do what I can, but don't get your hopes up .
There is still a glimmer of hope .
She has high hopes of winning (= is very confident about it) .
The situation is not good but we live in hope that it will improve.
2.
[ C ] hope (of / for sth) | hope (for sb) | hope (that ... ) | hope (of doing sth) something that you wish for :
She told me all her hopes, dreams and fears.
They have high hopes for their children.
3.
[ C , usually sing. ] hope (of sth) | hope (for sb) a person, a thing or a situation that will help you get what you want :
He turned to her in despair and said, 'You're my last hope .'
The operation was Kelly's only hope of survival.
•
IDIOMS
- be beyond hope (of sth)
- hold out little, etc. hope (of sth / that ... ) | not hold out any, much, etc. hope (of sth / that ... )
- hope springs eternal
- in the hope of sth | in the hope that ...
- not have a hope (in hell) (of doing sth)
- some hope!
—more at dash verb , pin verb
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Old English hopa (noun), hopian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoop (noun), hopen (verb), and German hoffen (verb).