hope
"hope against hope,"
1. to continue to hope, although the outlook does not warrant it:
We are hoping against hope for a change in her condition.
2. to hope without any basis for expecting fulfillment.
"not a hope" or "some hope,"
used ironically to express little confidence that expectations will be fulfilled.
Origin:
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English hopa; cognate with Dutch hoop, German Hoffe; (verb) Middle English hopen, Old English hopian. Dictionary 2: Old English hopa; related to Old Frisian hope, Dutch hoop, Middle High German hoffe. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of hope: Verb: before the 12th century. Noun: before the 12th century. History and Etymology for hope: Verb and Noun: Middle English, from Old English hopian; akin to Middle High German hoffen to hope. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
1. to continue to hope, although the outlook does not warrant it:
We are hoping against hope for a change in her condition.
2. to hope without any basis for expecting fulfillment.
"not a hope" or "some hope,"
used ironically to express little confidence that expectations will be fulfilled.
Origin:
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English hopa; cognate with Dutch hoop, German Hoffe; (verb) Middle English hopen, Old English hopian. Dictionary 2: Old English hopa; related to Old Frisian hope, Dutch hoop, Middle High German hoffe. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of hope: Verb: before the 12th century. Noun: before the 12th century. History and Etymology for hope: Verb and Noun: Middle English, from Old English hopian; akin to Middle High German hoffen to hope. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.