Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - hope

~1 v 1 to want something to happen or be true, and to believe it is possible  (hope (that))  (I hope you have a lovely birthday. | I hope I'm not disturbing you. | Let's just hope we can find somewhere to park. | hope to do sth)  (Joan's hoping to study Law at Harvard.) + for  (We were hoping for good weather) hope for the best (=hope that a situation will end well when there is a risk of things going wrong)  (All we can do is hope for the best and wait. | hope against hope (=continue to hope for something even when it is unlikely to happen))  (Daniel waited all day, hoping against hope that Annie would change her mind.) 2 I hope (that) used to say that you hope something will happen  (I hope you're coming to the party. | I do hope (that) BrE (=a polite way of sying that you hope something will happen))  (It was great to see you and I do hope that we'll meet up again soon.) 3 I hope so used to say that you hope something that has been mentioned happens or is true  ("Do we get paid this week?" "I certainly hope so!") 4 I hope not used to say that you hope something that has been mentioned does not happen or is not true  (I don't think I'm busy that day, at least I hope not anyway.) 5 I am hoping used to say that you hope something will happen, especially because you are depending on it  (I am hoping (that))  (I'm hoping he's going to do my car for me because I can't afford to take it to the garage. | I'm hoping to do sth)  (Oh what a shame! We were hoping to see you today.) 6 let's hope (that) used to tell someone that you hope something will happen or will not happen  (Let's just hope someone finds her bag and hands it in.) 7 I should hope so (too) BrE used to say that you feel very strongly that something should happen  ("Well, they should get their money back." "I should hope so too, after being treated like that.") 8 I hope to God (that) used to say that you hope very much that something will happen or will not happen, because otherwise there will be serious problems  (I hope to God I haven't left the car window open.) ~2 n 1 »FEELING« a feeling of wanting something to happen, and a belief that it is likely to happen + for  (The people are full of hope for the future.) give/offer hope to sb (=make it possible for people to have hope)  (This new treatment may offer hope to thousands of cancer patients. | lose hope/give up hope (=stop hoping))  (Michael's parents had almost given up hope of ever seeing him again. | in the hope that (=because you hope that something will happen))  (He showed me a picture of the missing girl in the hope that I might recognize her. | glimmer/ray of hope (=something that gives you a little hope))  (The union's offer to negotiate offered a ray of hope. | live in hope (=keep hoping for something))  (We haven't had any success yet, but we live in hope. | not hold out any hope (=not give someone any reason to hope for something))  (I'm afraid the doctors didn't hold out much hope.) 2 »STH YOU HOPE FOR« something that you hope will happen  (She told me all her secret hopes and fears.) + of  (hopes of fame and fortune) have hopes of doing sth (=hope to do it)  (At one time he had hopes of playing at Wimbledon | my one hope is...)  (My one hope was that I would see my family again. | have high hopes for (=hope that someone or something will be successful))  (the high hopes parents have for their children | hopes are fading (=people are beginning to lose hope))  (The search for survivors continues, but hopes are fading fast. | pin your hopes on (=hope that something will happen because all your plans depend on it))  (I can't pin my hopes on getting this job.)  (- see wish1) 3 raise/dash sb's hopes to make someone's hopes seem more likely, or make them seem impossible  (Sally's hopes of meeting someone nice were dashed again.) 4 get/build sb's hopes up to make someone's hopes seem more likely, or to feel that your hopes are more likely to happen  (I don't want to get your hopes up, but I know you're a favorite for the part.) 5 »CHANCE« a chance of succeeding or of something good happening + of  (there was no hope of escape) hope that  (There is some hope that we'll find a solution to our problems. | not a hope! spoken (=used to mean that there is no chance of something happening))  ("Do you think they'll refund our money?" "Not a hope!" | not a hope in hell spoken (=not even the smallest chance of success))  (They don't have a hope in hell of winning this game. | some hope/what a hope! BrE spoken humorous (=used to say that there is no chance that something will happen))  (`Your dad might lend you the car." "Some hope!") 6 there's hope for you yet! spoken used to say that someone could still be successful, often in a joking way 7 be sb's last/only hope to be someone's last or only chance of getting the result they want  (For many people who couldn't find work, the colonies were the last hope.) 8 be beyond hope if a situation is beyond hope it is so bad that there is no chance of any improvement + of  (Some of these patients are beyond hope of recovery.)