[ad. Du. verloren hoop (in Kilian, 1598), lit. ‘lost troop’ (hoop = HEAP, Ger. haufen). Cf. Fr. enfants perdus. (Among sailors mispronounced flowing hope.)]
1. In early use, a picked body of men, detached to the front to begin the attack; a body of skirmishers. Now usually, a storming party.
In the 17th c. sometimes applied to the rear-guard.
1579. Digges, Stratiot., 102. He must also so order the Forlorn hope in ye front of hys Battayle with new supplies.
1581. Styward, Mart. Discipl., II. 136. There would be appointed certeine troupes of Launces, whose guidons would bee contrarie to the rest, the whiche the Germaine calls, their Forlorne hoope.
1600. Dymmok, Ireland (1843), 32. Before the vantguarde marched the forlorn hope consisting of 40 shott and 20 shorte weapons.
1642. True State Ireland, 5. Likewise for the forlorn hope of the Rear, Captain Pate commanded 40 Dragooners.
1678. trans. Gaya’s Art of War, II. 74. Called the Forlorn Hope, because they … fall on first, and make a Passage for the rest.
1799. Wellington, in Gurw., Desp., I. 31. The forlorn hope of each attack consisted of a serjeant and 12 Europeans, who were followed by two sub-alterns’ parties.
1874. L. Stephen, Hours in Library (1892), I. vii. 245. He would have resembled a king in his coronation robes compelled to lead a forlorn hope up the scaling ladders.
b. transf. and fig., chiefly of persons in a desperate condition.
c. 1572. Gascoigne, Fruits Warre (1831), 211.
| The forlorne hope which haue set vp their rest | |
| By rash expense, and knowe not howe to liue, | |
| The busie braine that medleth with the best, | |
| And gets dysgrace his rashnesse to repreeue. |
1572. J. Jones, Bathes of Bath, Pref. 3. A booteless matter to perswade the forlorn hope, suche as have decreed to caste awaye them selves.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies (1840), II. 11. [Object of Christ’s descent into hell] To preach, useless where his auditory was all the forlorn hope.
1698. J. Fryer, A New Account of East-India and Persia, 128. The busy Apes, the Forlorn hope of these declining Woods, deeming no place safe where they beheld us, made strange Levaltoes with their hanging Brats from one Bough to another.
c. pl. The men composing such a body; hence, reckless bravos.
1539. Tonstall, Serm. Palm Sund. (1823), 67. To make this realme a praye to al venturers, al spoylers, all snaphanses, all forlornehopes, all cormerauntes, all rauenours of the worlde, that wyll inuade this realme.
c. 1645. T. Tullie, Siege of Carlisle (1840), 31. Toppam had ye honour of ye forlorn hopes, and gave them a gallant charge.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Forlorn-hopes was a term formerly applied to the videttes of the army.
d. A perilous or desperate enterprise.
1768. J. Byron, Narr. Wager (1778), 89. We saw them a little after, setting out upon their forlorn hope, and helping one another over a hideous tract of rocks.
1771. Junius Lett., lix. 311. The wary Wedderburne, the pompous Suffolk, never threw away the scabbard, nor ever went upon a forlorn hope.
2. slang. a. The losers at a gaming-table. b. (See quot. 1785.)
1608. Dekker, Lanthorne & Candle-light, D ij. They that sit downe to play, are at first cald Leaders. They that loose, are the Forlorne Hope.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Forlorn Hope, losing Gamesters.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, Forlorn hope, a gamester’s last stake.
3. With word-play or misapprehension of the etymology: A faint hope, a ‘hope against hope’; an enterprise which has little chance of success.
1641. Shute, Sarah & Hagar (1649), 108. If we sin, upon a presumption that we shall conceal either our actions or persons from God, it is a forlorn hope; our iniquities will finde us out.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), II. xxi. In hopes of making your hearer think that you had been only singing all the while. Tes. A forlorn hope, indeed!
1885. Harper’s Mag., March, 594/1. She had had a forlorn hope of a letter, but it had died away.
