hope (hopes plural & 3rd person present) (hoping present participle) (hoped past tense & past participle )
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 and pray... V
He hesitates before leaving, almost as though he had been hoping for conversation... V for n
I hope to get a job within the next two weeks... V to-inf
The researchers hope that such a vaccine could be available in about ten years' time... V that
`We'll speak again.'—`I hope so.' V so/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.
with brd-neg
Things aren't ideal, but that's the best you can hope for... V for n
...these mountains, which no one can hope to penetrate. V to-inf
Hope is also a noun., n-var
The only hope for underdeveloped countries is to become, as far as possible, self-reliant...
3 n-uncount Hope is a feeling of desire and expectation that things will go well in the future.
But Kevin hasn't given up hope of being fit..., Consumer groups still hold out hope that the president will change his mind...
4 n-count 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.
with supp, oft N of n/-ing, N that
They have hopes of increasing trade between the two regions..., The delay in the programme has dashed Japan's hopes of commercial success in space...
5 n-count 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.
with supp
Roemer represented the best hope for a businesslike climate in Louisiana.
6 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.
hope for the best phrase V inflects
Some companies are cutting costs and hoping for the best.
7 If you tell someone not to get their hopes up, or not to build their hopes up, you are warning them that they should not become too confident of progress or success.
get/build your hopes up phrase V inflects
There is no reason for people to get their hopes up over this mission...
8 If you say that someone has not got a hope in hellof doing something, you are emphasizing that they will not be able to do it.
INFORMAL
not a hope in hell phrase PHR after v, v-link PHR, oft PHR of -ing (emphasis)
Everybody knows they haven't got a hope in hell of forming a government anyway.
9 If you have high hopes or great hopesthat something will happen, you are confident that it will happen.
high/great hopes phrase PHR after v, v-link PHR, usu PHR that, PHR of n/-ing, PHR for n
I had high hopes that Derek Randall might play an important part...
10 If you hope against hopethat something will happen, you hope that it will happen, although it seems impossible.
hope against hope phrase V inflects, usu PHR that
She glanced about the hall, hoping against hope that Richard would be waiting for her.
11 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.
I hope phrase PHR with cl (politeness)
I hope you don't mind me coming to see you..., I hope I haven't said anything to upset you.
12 You say `I hope' when you want to warn someone not to do something foolish or dangerous.
I hope phrase PHR with cl, PHR not
I hope you won't be too harsh with the girl...
13 If you do one thing in the hopeof another thing happening, you do it because you think it might cause or help the other thing to happen, which is what you want.
in the hope of/that phrase PHR after v, PHR of -ing, PHR that
He was studying in the hope of being admitted to an engineering college...
14 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.
live in hope phrase V inflects, oft PHR that, PHR of -ing
My mother bought lots of tickets and lived in hope of winning the prize.
15 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.
INFORMAL
some hope/not a hope convention
(feelings)
The industry reckons it will see orders swell by 10% this financial year. Some hope.
