pin one's hopes on

idiomatic phrase

variants or pin all one's hopes on

: to hope very much for a good outcome from (something or someone) especially when other options are not available or are not pursued

Also, if possible, generate several [job] interviews; don't pin your hopes on just one.

—Eugene Raudsepp

Calgary is holding its breath, pinning its hopes on a goalie who's all too human.

—Seth Wickersham

I wanted this intense stranger who found me to be different—to be, against all odds, the one. So I pinned all my hopes on him.

—Laura Barcella

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above