Introduction / Context:
This question asks for the meaning of the idiom “hope against hope”. Idiomatic expressions often intensify a feeling beyond its normal level. Here, “hope against hope” is used when a person continues to hope even when there is almost no chance of success. The expression conveys a sense of clinging to hope in a nearly hopeless situation.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Idiom: “hope against hope”.
- Options:
- Think wishfully from time to time
- Hoped with good reason
- Nurture an impossible hope
- Pretend to hope
- We assume standard literary and conversational usage.
Concept / Approach:
“To hope against hope” means to continue to hope even when it seems completely unrealistic or impossible. It suggests that circumstances are strongly against a positive outcome, yet the person still refuses to give up hope. The option “Nurture an impossible hope” expresses this idea best. Other choices either weaken the meaning or suggest something different, such as pretending or having good reasons to hope.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Interpret the idiom: the phrase “against hope” means in spite of the absence of any real ground for hope.
Step 2: Combine: “hope against hope” means to continue hoping even though logic and facts say that things are hopeless.
Step 3: Examine option “Nurture an impossible hope”: this describes exactly the act of keeping alive a hope that seems impossible.
Step 4: Option “Think wishfully from time to time” suggests occasional casual wishing, which is much weaker than the desperate persistence implied by the idiom.
Step 5: Option “Hoped with good reason” is the opposite; if one has good reason, the hope is not “against hope”.
Step 6: Option “Pretend to hope” suggests insincerity, whereas “hope against hope” is deeply sincere and intense.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider sentences: “They hoped against hope that their missing child would be found alive.” The family knows the chances are extremely low, yet they still hope.
Replace with the correct paraphrase: “They nurtured an impossible hope that their missing child would be found alive.”
The meaning is preserved, confirming that this option captures the idiom accurately.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: “Think wishfully from time to time” indicates weak, occasional wishing, not desperate continued hope.
Option B: “Hoped with good reason” implies a realistic expectation, which contradicts the idea of hoping in the face of near impossibility.
Option D: “Pretend to hope” focuses on acting as if one hopes, without truly feeling it, which is not what “hope against hope” suggests.
Common Pitfalls:
Some learners may misinterpret the phrase literally and think it involves two different types of hope, instead of understanding “against” as “in spite of”.
Others may confuse it with mere optimism, ignoring the key element of near hopelessness.
Not reading enough literary texts, where this idiom frequently appears, can make the phrase unfamiliar and lead to guesswork.
Final Answer:
The idiom “hope against hope” means “nurture an impossible hope”.
Discussion & Comments