Purpose vs Hope - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between purpose and hope

is that purpose is an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal while hope is the belief or expectation that something wished for can or will happen.

As verbs the difference between purpose and hope

is that purpose is have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan while hope is to want something to happen, with a sense of expectation that it might.

As a proper noun Hope is

{{given name|female|from=English}} from the virtue, like Faith and Charity first used by Puritans.

purpose

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)

An object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington

, volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}

A result that is desired; an intention.

The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.

* 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:

United began with more purpose in the early phase of the second half and Liverpool were grateful for Glen Johnson's crucial block from Young's goalbound shot.

* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Sarah Glaz

, title= Ode to Prime Numbers , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.}}

The subject of discourse; the point at issue.

(Spenser)

The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.

The purpose of turning off the lights overnight is to save energy.

(obsolete) Instance; example.

(rfquotek, L'Estrange)

Synonyms

* (target ): aim, goal, object, target * (intention ): aim, plan, intention * (determination ): determination, intention, resolution * (subject of discourse ): matter, subject, topic * (reason for doing something ): reason * See also

Derived terms

(terms derived from purpose) * all-purpose * common purpose * cross-purpose * fit for purpose * for all intents and purposes * game with a purpose * general-purpose * infinitive of purpose * multi-purpose * metapurpose * purpose-built * purposeful * purposeless * purpose-like * purpose loan * purposely * purpose statement * on purpose

Etymology 2

From (etyl)

Verb

(purpos)

Have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.

* Macaulay

I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living.

(passive ) Designed for some purpose.

(obsolete) To have a purpose or intention; to discourse.

(Spenser)

Derived terms

* purposed * purposer * purposive * on purpose

Synonyms

* (have set as one's purpose ): aim, intend, mean, plan, set out * (designed for some purpose ): intended

References

* * *

Statistics

hope

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) hope, from (etyl) .

Noun

(uncountable) The belief or expectation that something wished for can or will happen.

* , chapter=3

, title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out.}}

(countable) The actual thing wished for.

(countable) A person or thing that is a source of hope.

(Christianity) The virtuous desire for future good.

* The Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:13

But now abideth faith, hope , love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Derived terms

* Cape of Good Hope * forlorn hope * great white hope * have one's hope dashed * hope against hope * hope chest * hopeful * hopeless * hoper * hope springs eternal * no-hoper * out of hope * overhope * unhope * wanhope

Etymology 2

From (etyl) hopen, from (etyl) hopian.

Verb

(hop)

To want something to happen, with a sense of expectation that it might.

* , chapter=10

, title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.}}

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Obama goes troll-hunting , passage=The solitary, lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.}}

To be optimistic; be full of hope; have hopes.

(obsolete) To place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good; usually followed by in .

* Bible, Psalms cxix. 81

I hope in thy word.

* Bible, Psalms xlii. 11

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God.

Usage notes

* This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See

Derived terms

* hoped for

Etymology 3

Compare Icelandic word for a small bay or inlet.

Noun

(en noun)

A sloping plain between mountain ridges.

(Scotland) A small bay; an inlet; a haven.

(Jamieson)

(Webster 1913)

Statistics

* English control verbs 1000 English basic words ----