King James Bible Dictionary

One of the three main elements of Christian character (1 Corinthians 13:13). It is joined to faith and love, and is opposed to seeing or possessing (Romans 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 Peter 3:15; Hebrews 10:23). In it the whole glory of the Christian vocation is centred (Ephesians 1:18; 4:4)." Unbelievers are without this hope (Ephesians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 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 Timothy 1:1; Colossians 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 Peter 1:3). In Romans 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.

General references
Psalms 9:18; Psalms 16:9; Psalms 31:24; Psalms 33:18; Psalms 33:22; Psalms 38:15; Psalms 39:7; Psalms 43:5; Psalms 71:5; Psalms 71:14; Psalms 78:5-7; Psalms 119:74; Psalms 119:81; Psalms 119:116; Psalms 119:166; Psalms 130:7; Psalms 146:5; Proverbs 10:28; Proverbs 13:12; Proverbs 14:32; Proverbs 23:18; Proverbs 24:14; Isaiah 38:18; Jeremiah 17:7; Lamentations 3:21; Lamentations 3:24; Lamentations 3:26; Hosea 2:15; Joel 3:16; Zech 9:12; Acts 23:6; Acts 24:14-15; Acts 26:6-7; Acts 28:20; Romans 4:18; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:24-25; Romans 12:12; Romans 15:4; Romans 15:13; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 Corinthians 15:19; 2 Corinthians 3:12; Galatians 5:5; Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 4:4; Philippians 1:20; Colossians 1:5; Colossians 1:23; Colossians 1:27; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:2; Titus 2:13; Titus 3:7; Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 6:11; Hebrews 6:18-19; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 1:21; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 John 3:3
Faith

Of the wicked
Job 8:13; Job 11:20; Job 27:8; Job 31:24; Job 31:28; Proverbs 10:28; Zech 9:5; Ephesians 2:12

HOPE, noun [Latin 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 8:13.

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 3:16.

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, verb intransitive

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 1:3.

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 43:5.

HOPE, verb transitive 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, noun A sloping plain between ridges of mountains. [Not in use.]

HO'PED, participle passive Desired with expectation.

HO'PEFUL, adjective Having qualities which excite hope; promising or giving ground to expect good or success; as a hopeful youth; a hopeful prospect.

1. Full of hope or desire, with expectation.

I was hopeful the success of your first attempts would encourage you to the trial of more nice and difficult experiments.

HO'PEFULLY, adverb In a manner to raise hope; in a way promising good. He prosecutes his scheme hopefully

1. In a manner to produce a favorable opinion respecting some good at the present time. The young man is hopefully pious.

2. With hope; with ground to expect.

HO'PEFULNESS, noun Promise of good; ground to expect what is desirable.

HO'PELESS, adjective Destitute of hope; having no expectation of that which is desirable; despairing.

I am a woman, friendless, hopeless

1. Giving no ground of hope or expectation of good; promising nothing desirable; desperate; as a hopeless condition.

HO'PELESSLY, adverb Without hope.

HO'PELESSNESS, noun A state of being desperate, or affording no hope.

HO'PER, noun One that hopes.