cling to a shred of hope

To have the slightest bit of hope (that something is or may be the case). The police had not discovered any sign of a body yet, so I still clung to a shred of hope that my wife would be found alive. The judge's decision to let us appeal the case left us clinging to a shred of hope that we might finally receive justice for what happened. I know this has been an exhausting, arduous process, but we must cling to a shred of hope that things will work out in our favor!