heaven forbid
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Interjection
[edit]- (idiomatic) May heaven forbid it: expresses the desire that something does not happen.
- Synonyms: heaven forfend, God forbid; see also Thesaurus:God forbid
- Antonym: God willing
- 1883, Howard Pyle, chapter V, in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood […], New York, N.Y.: […] Charles Scribner’s Sons […], →OCLC:
- "Now, by Our Lady's grace," cried the Butcher, "well do I know thy name, and many a time have I heard thy deeds both sung and spoken of. But Heaven forbid that thou shouldst take aught of me! An honest man am I, and have wronged neither man nor maid; so trouble me not, good master, as I have never troubled thee."
"Nay, Heaven forbid, indeed," quoth Robin, "that I should take from such as thee, jolly fellow! Not so much as one farthing would I take from thee, for I love a fair Saxon face like thine right well—more especially when it cometh from Locksley Town, and most especially when the man that owneth it is to marry a bonny lass on Thursday next. But come, tell me for what price thou wilt sell me all of thy meat and thy horse and cart."
- 1999 October 7, Joseph Yam, “A tribute to Philip Haddon-Cave”, in Hong Kong Monetary Authority[1]:
- Could it be that the endorsement that he had been waiting for was not forthcoming? Could it be that he had been asked to amend his Budget? Heaven forbid!
- 2023 March 6, Alexis Jones, Megan Schaltegger, “These Tinder Conversation Starters Actually Work, According To Dating Experts”, in Women's Health[2]:
- Here’s the worst case scenario: You’ve just wasted your time on a few meaningless Tinder messages and not an actual date—or heaven forbid, a full-blown relationship.
Translations
[edit]used to express that one hopes that something does not happen
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