hope springs eternal
proverb People can always find a reason to hope, even in the bleakest situations. The phrase is a shortening of the line "Hope springs eternal in every human breast," from Alexander Pope's poem Essay on Man. We don't know how this business venture will work out, but hope springs eternal, right? A: "Hope springs eternal, though. Maybe this is the house we finally get." B: "I wish I could be as optimistic as you." If the doctors think the diagnosis is grim, let them. For me, hope springs eternal no matter what.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
Hope springs eternal (in the human breast).
Prov. People will continue to hope even though they have evidence that things cannot possibly turn out the way they want. (From Alexander Pope's poem, "Essay on Man." Sometimes used to remark that you believe someone's situation is hopeless, as in the first example.) Jill: The boss may have turned me down the first twelve times I asked for a raise, but this time I really think she'll give it to me. Jane: Hope springs eternal in the human breast. Alan: You're not still trying to teach the dog to shake hands! Jane: Hope springs eternal.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
hope springs eternal
People will keep on hoping, no matter what the odds. For example, I keep buying lottery tickets-hope springs eternal. This expression was coined by Alexander Pope ( An Essay on Man, 1732) and quickly became proverbial.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
hope springs eternal
it is human nature always to find fresh cause for optimism. This is a shortened version of Alexander Pope's line in An Essay on Man ( 1733 ): ‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast’.
1992 Angela Lambert A Rather English Marriage Hope springs eternal—she smiled wryly—even in Tunbridge Wells .
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
ˌhope springs eˈternal
(saying) human beings never stop hoping: She’s sure that he’ll come back to her one day. I’m not so sure, but hope springs eternal.This comes from An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope: ‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast’.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
hope springs eternal
It is human nature to keep on hoping against all odds. This particular expression was coined by the poet Alexander Pope in An Essay on Man (1732), “Hope springs eternal in the human breast,” and very quickly became proverbial. It was quoted by Robert Burns and Charles Dickens, among many others, usually without benefit of quotation marks.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer