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Hope definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

HOPE, n. [L. cupio.]
1. A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.
The hypocrite's hope shall perish. Job 8.
He wish'ed, but not with hope--
Sweet hope! kind cheat!
He that lives upon hope, will die fasting.
2. Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God's gracious promises; a scriptural sense.
A well founded scriptural hope,is, in our religion, the source of ineffable happiness.
3. That which gives hope; he or that which furnishes ground of expectation, or promises desired good. The hope of Israel is the Messiah.
The Lord will be the hope of his people. Joel 3.
4. An opinion or belief not amounting to certainty, but grounded on substantial evidence. The christian indulges a hope, that his sins are pardoned.
HOPE, v.i.
1. To cherish a desire of food, with some expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable.
Hope for good success.
Be sober and hope to the end. 1 Peter 1.
Hope humbly then, with trembling pinions soar.
2. To place confidence in; to trust in with confident expectation of good.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul,and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God. Psalms 43.
HOPE, v.t. To desire with expectation of good, or a belief that it may be obtained. But as a transitive verb, it is seldom used,and the phrases in which it is so used are elliptical, for being understood.
So stands the Thracian herdsman with his spear,
Full in the gap,and hopes the hunted bear.
HOPE, n. A sloping plain between ridges of mountains. [Not in use.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a specific instance of feeling hopeful; "it revived their hope of winning the pennant"
2: the general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled; "in spite of his troubles he never gave up hope" [ant: despair]
3: grounds for feeling hopeful about the future; "there is little or no promise that he will recover" [syn: promise, hope]
4: someone (or something) on which expectations are centered; "he was their best hope for a victory"
5: United States comedian (born in England) who appeared in films with Bing Crosby (1903-2003) [syn: Hope, Bob Hope, Leslie Townes Hope]
6: one of the three Christian virtues v
1: expect and wish; "I trust you will behave better from now on"; "I hope she understands that she cannot expect a raise" [syn: hope, trust, desire]
2: be optimistic; be full of hope; have hopes; "I am still hoping that all will turn out well" [ant: despair]
3: intend with some possibility of fulfilment; "I hope to have finished this work by tomorrow evening" [syn: hope, go for]

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation Health Opportunity for People Everywhere

Merriam Webster's

I. biographical name Anthony — see Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins II. biographical name Bob 1903- originally Leslie Townes Hope American (British-born) comedian III. biographical name Victor Alexander John 1887-1951 8th Earl of Hopetoun & 2d Marquis of Linlithgow British soldier; viceroy of India (1936-43)

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (hoped; hoping) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hopian; akin to Middle High German hoffen to hope Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. to cherish a desire with anticipation <hopes for a promotion> 2. archaic trust transitive verb 1. to desire with expectation of obtainment 2. to expect with confidence ; trust Synonyms: see expect • hoper noun II. noun Date: before 12th century 1. archaic trust, reliance 2. a. desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment <came in hopes of seeing you>; also expectation of fulfillment or success <no hope of a cure> b. someone or something on which hopes are centered <our only hope for victory> c. something hoped for

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 (in sing. or pl.; often foll. by of, that) expectation and desire combined, e.g. for a certain thing to occur (hope of getting the job). 2 a a person, thing, or circumstance that gives cause for hope. b ground of hope, promise. 3 what is hoped for. 4 archaic a feeling of trust. --v. 1 intr. (often foll. by for) feel hope. 2 tr. expect and desire. 3 tr. feel fairly confident. Phrases and idioms: hope against hope cling to a mere possibility. hope chest US = bottom drawer. not a (or some) hope! colloq. no chance at all. Derivatives: hoper n. Etymology: OE hopa

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Hope Hope, n. [Cf. Icel. h[=o]p a small bay or inlet.] 1. A sloping plain between mountain ridges. [Obs.] 2. A small bay; an inlet; a haven. [Scot.] --Jamieson.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Hope Hope, n. [AS., akin to D. hoop, hope, Sw. hopp, Dan. haab, MHG. hoffe. Hope in forlorn hope is different word. See Forlorn hope, under Forlorn.] 1. A desire of some good, accompanied with an expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable; an expectation of something which is thought to be desirable; confidence; pleasing expectancy. The hypocrite's hope shall perish. --Job vii. 13. He wished, but not with hope. --Milton. New thoughts of God, new hopes of Heaven. --Keble. 2. One who, or that which, gives hope, furnishes ground of expectation, or promises desired good. The Lord will be the hope of his people. --Joel iii. 16. A young gentleman of great hopes, whose love of learning was highly commendable. --Macaulay. 3. That which is hoped for; an object of hope. Lavina is thine elder brother's hope. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Hope Hope, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hoped; p. pr. & vb. n. Hoping.] [AS. hopian; akin to D. hopen, Sw. hopp?, Dan. haabe, G. hoffen. See 2nd Hope.] 1. To entertain or indulge hope; to cherish a desire of good, or of something welcome, with expectation of obtaining it or belief that it is obtainable; to expect; -- usually followed by for. ``Hope for good success.'' --Jer. Taylor. But I will hope continually. --Ps. lxxi. 14. 2. To place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good; -- usually followed by in. ``I hope in thy word.'' --Ps. cxix. 81. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God. --Ps. xlii. 11.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Hope Hope, v. t. 1. To desire with expectation or with belief in the possibility or prospect of obtaining; to look forward to as a thing desirable, with the expectation of obtaining it; to cherish hopes of. We hope no other from your majesty. --Shak. [Charity] hopeth all things. --1 Cor. xiii. 7. 2. To expect; to fear. [Obs.] ``I hope he will be dead.'' --Chaucer. Note: Hope is often used colloquially regarding uncertainties, with no reference to the future. ``I hope she takes me to be flesh and blood.'' --Mrs. Centlivre.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(hopes, hoping, hoped) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. 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... He hesitates before leaving, almost as though he had been hoping for conversation... I hope to get a job within the next two weeks... The researchers hope that such a vaccine could be available in about ten years' time... 'We'll speak again.'—'I hope so.'... VERB: V, V for n, V to-inf, V that, V so/not 2. If you say that you cannot hope for something, or if you talk about the only thing that you can hope to 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... ...these mountains, which no one can hope to penetrate. VERB: with brd-neg, V for n, V to-inf • Hope is also a noun. The only hope for underdeveloped countries is to become, as far as possible, self-reliant... N-VAR 3. 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. If someone wants something to happen, and considers it likely or possible, you can refer to their hopes of that thing, or to their hope that it will happen. 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... N-COUNT: with supp, oft N of n/-ing, N that 5. 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. Roemer represented the best hope for a businesslike climate in Louisiana. N-COUNT: with supp 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. Some companies are cutting costs and hoping for the best. PHRASE: V inflects 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. There is no reason for people to get their hopes up over this mission... PHRASE: V inflects 8. 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. (INFORMAL) Everybody knows they haven't got a hope in hell of forming a government anyway. PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR, oft PHR of -ing [emphasis] 9. If you have high hopes or great hopes that something will happen, you are confident that it will happen. I had high hopes that Derek Randall might play an important part... PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR, usu PHR that, PHR of n/-ing, PHR for n 10. If you hope against hope that something will happen, you hope that it will happen, although it seems impossible. She glanced about the hall, hoping against hope that Richard would be waiting for her. PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR that 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 you don't mind me coming to see you... I hope I haven't said anything to upset you. PHRASE: PHR with cl [politeness] 12. You say 'I hope' when you want to warn someone not to do something foolish or dangerous. I hope you won't be too harsh with the girl... PHRASE: PHR with cl, PHR not 13. 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. He was studying in the hope of being admitted to an engineering college... PHRASE: PHR after v, PHR of -ing, PHR that 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. My mother bought lots of tickets and lived in hope of winning the prize. PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR that, PHR of -ing 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) The industry reckons it will see orders swell by 10% this financial year. Some hope. CONVENTION [feelings]

Easton's Bible Dictionary

one of the three main elements of Christian character (1 Cor. 13:13). It is joined to faith and love, and is opposed to seeing or possessing (Rom. 8:24; 1 John 3:2). "Hope is an essential and fundamental element of Christian life, so essential indeed, that, like faith and love, it can itself designate the essence of Christianity (1 Pet. 3:15; Heb. 10:23). In it the whole glory of the Christian vocation is centred (Eph. 1:18; 4:4)." Unbelievers are without this hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thess. 4:13). Christ is the actual object of the believer's hope, because it is in his second coming that the hope of glory will be fulfilled (1 Tim. 1:1; Col. 1:27; Titus 2:13). It is spoken of as "lively", i.e., a living, hope, a hope not frail and perishable, but having a perennial life (1 Pet. 1:3). In Rom. 5:2 the "hope" spoken of is probably objective, i.e., "the hope set before us," namely, eternal life (comp. 12:12). In 1 John 3:3 the expression "hope in him" ought rather to be, as in the Revised Version, "hope on him," i.e., a hope based on God.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hop:

1. In the Old Testament:

In the Revised Version (British and American) the New Testament "hope" represents the noun elpis (52 t), and the verb elpizo (31 t). King James Version, however, renders the noun in Heb 10:23 by "faith," and for the verb gives "trust" in 18 cases (apparently without much system, e.g. in Php 2 compare 2:19 and 23; see TRUST), while in Lu 6:35 it translates apelpizo, by "hoping for nothing again" (the Revised Version (British and American) "never despairing"). But in the Old Testament there is no Hebrew word that has the exact force of "expectation of some good thing," so that in the King James Version "hope" (noun and vb.) stands for some 15 Hebrew words, nearly all of which in other places are given other translation (e.g. mibhTach, is rendered "hope" in Jer 17:17, "trust" in Ps 40:4, "confidence" in Ps 65:5). the Revised Version (British and American) has attempted to be more systematic and has, for the most part, kept "hope" for the noun tiqwah, and the verb yachal, but complete consistency was not possible (e.g. Pr 10:28; 11:23; 23:18). This lack of a specific word for hope has nothing to do with any undervaluation of the virtue among the Hebrews. For the religion of the Old Testament is of all things a religion of hope, centered in God, from whom all deliverance and blessings are confidently expected (Jer 17:17; Joe 3:16; Ps 31:24; 33:18,22; 39:7, etc.). The varieties of this hope arc countless (see ISRAEL, RELIGION OF; SALVATION, etc.), but the form most perfected and with fundamental significance for the New Testament is the firm trust that at a time appointed God, in person or through His representative (see MESSIAH), will establish a kingdom of righteousness.

2. In the New Testament:

(1) The proclamation of this coming kingdom of God was the central element in the teaching of Jesus, and the message of its near advent (Mr 1:15, etc.), with the certainty of admission to it for those who accepted His teaching (Lu 12:32, etc.), is the substance of His teaching as to hope. This teaching, though, is delivered in the language of One to whom the realities of the next world and of the future are perfectly familiar; the tone is not that of prediction so much as it is that of the statement of obvious facts. In other words, "hope" to Christ is "certainty," and the word "hope" is never on His lips (Lu 6:34 and Joh 5:45 are naturally not exceptions). For the details see KINGDOM OF GOD; FAITH; FORGIVENESS, etc. And however far He may have taught that the kingdom was present in His lifetime, none the less the full consummation of that kingdom, with Himself as Messiah, was made by Him a matter of the future (see ESCHATOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT; PAROUSIA).

(2) Hence, after the ascension the early church was left with an eschatological expectation that was primarily and almost technically the "hope" of the New Testament--"looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Tit 2:13), "unto a living hope ...., unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, .... reserved in heaven for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1Pe 13-5; compare Ro 5:2; 8:20-24; 2Co 3:12; Eph 1:18-21; Col 1:5,23,17; Tit 1:2; 3:7; 1 Joh 3:2,3). The foundations of this hope were many:

(a) Primarily, of course, the promises of the Old Testament, which were the basis of Christ's teaching. Such are often quoted at length (Ac 2:16, etc.), while they underlie countless other passages. These promises are the "anchor of hope" that holds the soul fast (Heb 6:18-20). In part, then, the earliest Christian expectations coincided with the Jewish, and the "hope of Israel" (Ac 28:20; compare 26:6,7; Eph 2:12, and especially Ro 11:25-32) was a common ground on which Jew and Christian might meet. Still, through the confidence of forgiveness and purification given in the atonement (Heb 9:14, etc.), the Christian felt himself to have a "better hope" (Heb 7:19), which the Jew could not know.

(b) Specifically Christian, however, was the pledge given in the resurrection of Christ. This sealed His Messiahship and proved His lordship (Ro 1:4; Eph 1:18-20; 1Pe 3:21, etc.), so sending forth His followers with the certainty of victory. In addition, Christ's resurrection was felt to be the first step in the general resurrection, and hence, a proof that the consummation of all things had begun (1Co 15:23; compare Ac 23:6; 24:15; 26:6,7; 1Th 4:13,14, etc.).

(c) But more than all, devotion to Christ produced a religious experience that gave certainty to hope. "Hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us" (Ro 5:5; compare 8:16,17; 2Co 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:14, etc., and see HOLY SPIRIT). Even visible miracles were wrought by the Spirit that were signs of the end (Ac 2:17) as well as of the individual's certainty of partaking in the final happiness (Ac 10:47; 19:6, etc.).

(3) Yet, certain though the hope might be, it was not yet attained, and the interim was an opportunity to develop faith, "the substance of the things hoped for" (Heb 11:1). Indeed, hope is simply faith directed toward the future, and no sharp distinction between faith and hope is attainable. It is easy enough to see how the King James Version felt "confession of our faith" clearer than "confession of our hope" in Heb 10:23, although the rendition of elpis by "faith" was arbitrary. So in Ro 8:20-24, "hope" is scarcely more than "faith" in this specialized aspect. In particular, in 8:24 we have as the most natural translation (compare Eph 2:5,8), "By hope we were saved" (so the King James Version, the English Revised Version, the American Revised Version margin), only a pedantic insistence on words can find in this any departure from the strictest Pauline theology (compare the essential outlook on the future of the classic example of "saving faith" in Ro 4:18-22, especially verse 18). Still, the combination is unusual, and the Greek may be rendered equally well "For hope we were saved" ("in hope" of the American Standard Revised Version is not so good); i.e. our salvation, in so far as it is past, is but to prepare us for what is to come (compare Eph 4:4; 1Pe 1:3). But this postponement of the full attainment, through developing faith, gives stedfastness (Ro 8:25; compare 1Th 1:3; 5:8; Heb 3:6; 6:11), which could be gained in no other way. On the other hand this stedfastness, produced by hope, reacts again on hope and increases it (Ro 5:4; 15:4). and so on. But no attempt is made in the New Testament to give a catalogue of the "fruits of hope," and, indeed, such lists are inevitably artificial.

(4) One passage that deserves special attention is 1Co 13:13, "Now abideth faith, hope, love, these three." "Abideth" is in contrast to "shall be done away" in 13:8,9, and the time of the abiding is consequently after the Parousia; i.e. while many gifts are for the present world only, faith, hope and love are eternal and endure in the next world. 1Co 13 is evidently a very carefully written section, and the permanence of faith and hope cannot be set down to any mere carelessness on Paul's part, but the meaning is not very clear. Probably he felt that the triad of virtues was so essentially a part of the Christian's character that the existence of the individual without them was unthinkable, without trying to define what the object of faith and hope would be in the glorified state. If any answer is to be given, it must be found in the doctrine that even in heaven life will not be static but will have opportunities of unlimited growth. Never will the finite soul be able to dispense entirely with faith, while at each stage the growth into the next can be anticipated through hope.

3. Practical:

Only adventist bodies can use all the New Testament promises literally, and the translation of the eschatological language into modern practical terms is not always easy. The simplest method is that already well developed in the Fourth Gospel, where the phrase "kingdom of God" is usually replaced by the words "eternal life," i.e. for a temporal relation between this world and the next is substituted a local, so that the accent is laid on the hope that awaits the individual beyond the grave. On the other hand, the cataclysmic imagery of the New Testament may be interpreted in evolutionary form. God, by sending into the world the supernatural power seen in the Christian church, is working for the race as well as for the individual, and has for His whole creation, as well as for individual souls, a goal in store. The individual has for his support the motives of the early church and, in particular, learns through the cross that even his own sins shall not disappoint him of his hope. But both of the above interpretations are needed if religion is fairly to represent the spirit of the New Testament. A pure individualism that looks only beyond the grave for its hope empties the phrase "kingdom of God" of its meaning and tends inevitably to asceticism. And, in contrast, the religion of Jesus cannot be reduced to a mere hope of ethical advance for the present world. A Christianity that loses a transcendent, eschatological hope ceases to be Christianity.

Burton Scott Easton

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Trust, confidence, faith, reliance. 2. Expectancy, trustful longing, waiting under the possibility of fulfilment, sense of possible fulfilment. 3. Possibility of good, chance of the desired end, room for expectation, chance of a favorable result. 4. Reliance, dependence, object of trust or reliance, ground of confidence. II. v. a. Await (something agreeable), hope for, trustingly long for. III. v. n. Trust, wait in trustful longing, indulge or entertain a hope, be in hopes, live in hopes, look on the bright side, flatter one's self.

Foolish Dictionary

A desire for better things to come that makes a grass widow willing to try it again. Also, a draft on futurity, sometimes honored, but generally extended.

Moby Thesaurus

acceptation, acception, ache for, acquiescence, ambition, anticipate, anticipation, approach, ardor, aspire, aspire to, assumption, assurance, assuredness, await, bank on, bare possibility, be destined, be dying for, be fated, be hurting for, be imminent, be to be, be to come, belief, cardinal virtues, catch, certainty, chance, charity, cheerful expectation, clamor for, come, come on, conceivability, conceivableness, concupiscence, confide, confidence, contemplate, contingency, conviction, count, count on, craving, credence, credit, credulity, cry for, curiosity, daydream, dearest wish, dependence, dernier ressort, desideration, desideratum, desire, draw near, draw on, dread, drive, eagerness, envisage, even chance, eventuality, expect, expectancy, expectation, expedient, face, faith, fancy, fantasy, feel confident, forbidden fruit, foresee, foretell, fortitude, gape for, glimmering goal, golden vision, good chance, good possibility, hankering, harbor the hope, have in mind, hone for, hope against hope, hope and pray, hope for, hope in, hope to God, horme, intellectual curiosity, itch for, justice, languish for, last resort, lean upon, libido, lie ahead, likelihood, live in hopes, lodestone, long for, longing, look, look for, look forward to, loom, love, lust for, lust for learning, magnet, mind, natural virtues, near, need, nurture the hope, off chance, optimism, outside chance, outside hope, pant for, passion, pine for, pis aller, plan, pleasure, pleasure principle, plot, plum, possibility, possibleness, potential, potentiality, predict, presume, prize, probability, project, promise, prophesy, prospect, prudence, reception, recourse, reliance, reliance on, rely on, remote possibility, resort, resource, rest assured, sanguine expectation, security, sexual desire, sigh for, small hope, spoil for, stock, store, supernatural virtues, sureness, surety, suspension of disbelief, take for granted, temperance, temptation, the attainable, the feasible, the possible, theological virtues, think, thinkability, thinkableness, thirst for, thirst for knowledge, threaten, trophy, trust, urge, virtuality, wait, want, wanting, weary for, what is possible, what may be, what might be, will, will and pleasure, wish, wish for, wish fulfillment, yearn for, yearning, yen for