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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HOPE, n.¹ Also †hop, houp, howpe; †hoip (Twd. 1887 Jam.); whope (s.Sc. 1787 Burns Border Jnl. (Fitzhugh 1943) 122), whup (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). [hop, ‡xwʌp, †huəp]

1. A small upland valley or hollow enclosed at the upper end by green hills or ridges (Lth., s.Sc. 1808 Jam.; s.Sc. 1957). Also in n.Eng. dial. Very common in Border place-names, e.g. Hopehouse, Kershope, Hobkirk, Phaup (Fawhope), Hislop (Hazelhope), etc. Combs. hope-fit, the foot or lower part of a hope (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.); hope-heid (Lth., s.Sc. 1808 Jam.), whup-heid, the head of a valley (Watson).Dmf. 1763 Caled. Mercury (17 Sept.):
The farm consists . . . of several rigs and howpes or straths, and each part may have arable ground, and pasture of the several kinds.Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shep. MS. III. 121:
And wi auld Dick thro' hill and houp did gang As happy as the summer day was lang.s.Sc. a.1784 G. Caw Poet. Museum 195:
He's guided them o'er moss and muir, — O'er hill and houp, and mony ae down.Slk. 1794 T. Johnston Agric. Slk. 8:
By the hills being everywhere intersected by small burns, glens or hollows are formed, provincially called hopes, which are of great advantage in sheep-walks, as they afford shelter in stormy weather.Sc. 1862 J. Brown Horae Subs. (1882) 244:
We listened for the hunt, but could only hear the wind sobbing from the blind “Hopes.”Lnk. 1910 C. Fraser Glengonnar 12:
Them in the hope, at the far end o' the hirsel' maun be gethered and brocht nearer han' hame.s.Sc. 1923 A. Lang Poet. Wks. I. 29:
Through glen and heugh, and hope and shaw.Gall. 1932 A. McCormick Galloway 155:
It was not yet daylight when he stoutly assailed the last "whup" - the crown of Curleywee.

2. A hill (Rxb. 1957). Also found in n.Eng. dial.Peb. 1715 A. Pennecuik Works (1815) 50:
Hills are variously named, according to their magnitude; as . . . Kaim, Bank, Hope.Kcb. 1911 Crockett Rose of the Wilderness i.:
High above all were heathery knowes and hopes looking down so as to keep a hill girl from feeling lonesome.