hope

Meanings

Verb

• To want something to happen, with a sense of expectation that it might.
• To be optimistic; be full of hope; have hopes.
• To place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good; usually followed by in.
• To wish.

Noun

• The feeling of trust, confidence, belief or expectation that something wished for can or will happen.
• The actual thing wished for.
• A person or thing that is a source of hope.
• The virtuous desire for future good.
• A hollow; a valley, especially the upper end of a narrow mountain valley when it is nearly encircled by smooth, green slopes; a combe.
• A sloping plain between mountain ridges.
• A small bay; an inlet; a haven.

Origin

• From Middle English hopen, from Old English hopian ("hope"), from Proto-West Germanic *hopōn, further etymology unclear.
• From Middle English hope, from Old English hopa ("hope, expectation"), from the same source as the verb hope.
• From Middle English hope ("a valley"), from Old English hōp (found only in placenames). More at hoop.
• From Icelandic hóp ("a small bay or inlet"). Cognate with English hoop.