Forlorn Hope
Preserved but no longer current.
This phrase is the Dutch verloren hoop, the lost squad or troop, and is due to a misunderstanding, as the words are not connected with our forlorn or hope. The French equivalent is enfants perdtis, the lost ones. The forlorn hope was originally a picked body of men sent in front to begin an attack; thus Cromwell says, "Our forlorn of horse marched within a mile of the enemy," i.e.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Forlorn Hope” mean?
This phrase is the Dutch verloren hoop, the lost squad or troop, and is due to a misunderstanding, as the words are not connected with our forlorn or hope. The French equivalent is enfants perdtis, the lost ones. The forlorn hope was originally a picked body of men sent in front to begin an attack; thus Cromwell says, "Our forlorn of horse marched within a mile of the enemy," i.e.
Is “Forlorn Hope” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.