ppl. a. [UN-1 8. Cf. MDu. ongehopet, MDu. and Du. -hoopt.]
† 1. a. Unexpected, unforeseen. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., IV. pr. vi. (1876), 108. What so euere þou mayst sen þat is don in this world vnhoped, or vnwenyd.
1382. Wyclif, Wisd. xvii. 14. Forsothe to them sodeyn and vnhopid drede ouercam.
a. 1575. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden 36), 185. [He was] amazed at this unhoped danger.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, X. 99. Did God, or Man, your Fav’rite Son advise, With War unhop’d the Latians to surprise?
† b. Unconceived, unimagined. Obs.
1435. Misyn, Fire of Love, 15. Treuly it is not of gods vnpower þat he may not þe tech hym-self als he is in hym-self, bot for hys vnhopyd worþines.
2. Not anticipated with hope or desire; not hoped for. (Cf. 3.)
1382. Wyclif, Wisd. v. 2. Thei … shul merueilen in the sodeynesse of the vnhopid helthe.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 19. Paul,… from a cruell and bloody enemy conuerted to a new man, with sodaine and vnhoped change.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, IV. (1629), 426. His other prisoners … he found increased by this vnhoped meanes.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., III. iii. 172. What are thy Newes?… Margaret. Mine such, as fill my heart with vnhop’d ioyes.
1660. Dryden, Astræa Redux, 140. The Prince of Peace would … confer A Gift unhop’d without the price of war. Ibid. (1697), Æneis, V. 262. Chance aids their daring with unhop’d success.
1721. Ramsay, Love’s Cure, i. He spies A ship, which gives unhop’d surprise.
1728. Eliza Heywood, trans. Mme. de Gomez’s Belle A. (1732), II. 175. Kerme, who waited her Answer,… was so much transported at the unhoped Compliance of it, that [etc.].
1820. L. Hunt, Indicator, No. 31 (1822), I. 245. What unhoped courage reanimates me!
b. In quasi-adverbial construction: Unexpectedly, beyond expectation.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 348. To Hell he now return’d, And … unhop’t Met who to meet him came, his Ofspring dear.
1734. Thomson, Liberty, II. 453. The power resign’d, And all unhop’d the commonwealth restor’d, Amaz’d the public.
1791. Cowper, Odyssey, V. 491. Though Jove hath given me to behold, Unhop’d, the land again.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., V. xvii. He falter’d thanks to Heaven for life, Redeemd, unhoped, from desperate strife.
1830. W. Taylor, Hist. Surv. Germ. Poetry, II. 328. Like sons who meet unhop’d a father.
3. Not hoped († or looked) for.
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Andriæ, III. iv. I was the cause of the marriage that shall be made to day, euen quite vnhoped for of the old man.
1622. Fletcher, Love’s Cure, I. ii. A Temple … where I may give thanks For this unhop’d for blessing.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, IX. 939. Suddenly th’ unhop’d for News was brought.
1725. Pope, Odyss., V. 525. When … These eyes at last behold the unhoped-for coast.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XVI. vi. Blifil having obtained this unhoped for acquiescence.
1825. Scott, Betrothed, Concl. Her unhoped-for union with Damian.
1857. Dufferin, Lett. High Lat. (ed. 3), 406. These unhoped-for circumstances opened a new field to our explorations.
