forlorn hope noun phr. [fǝ,lɔ:n 'hǝʊp] M16.
[Dutch verloren hoop lost troop, from verloren pa. pple of verliezen (see FORLESE) and hoop company (see HEAP noun).]
1. Military. A picked troop sent to the front to begin an attack; a storming party, a body of skirmishers. In pl. also, the people composing such a troop; adventurers. M16.
b. A dangerous or desperate enterprise. M18.

2. The losers at a gaming-table collectively. Also, a gambler's last stake. slang. E17-L18.

3. A faint hope; an enterprise unlikely to succeed. M17.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲