From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisha fond hope/beliefa fond hope/beliefPROBABLYa belief or hope that something will happen, which seems silly because it is very unlikely to happenin the fond hope/belief that They sent him to another school in the fond hope that his behaviour would improve. → fond
Examples from the Corpus
a fond hope/belief• That overcautious disposition was noticed long ago, but there was a fond hope that experience would cure it. 