heaven forfend en · INTJ
Pronunciation
- /ˌhɛv(ə)n fɔɹˈfɛnd/ (General-American)
- /-fə-/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (General-American) audio
- /ˌhɛvn̩ fɔːˈfɛnd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From heaven (“abode of God”) + forfend (“to avert; to forbid, prohibit”).
Meanings
-
(dated, humorous) Used to express that one hopes that something does not happen
Advisor: The voters now see you as imperial and god-like. Burns: Hot dog! Advisor: But there's a down-side to it. The latest polls indicate you're in danger of losing touch with the common man. Burns: Oh, dear! Heaven forfend!
1990, Sam Simon, John Swartzwelder, “Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish”, in The Simpsons:Now there's an opportunity to employ a man who, heaven forfend, actually thinks about tactics and team balance.
2007 November 23, Scott Murray, “Why England’s failure is good news for, er, England”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Oct 2014:
Antonyms
Synonyms
absit omen · God forbid · lo aleinu · God forfend · God forbid · heaven forfend · heaven forbid · heaven forbid
Translations (9)
pl nie daj Bóg (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen) · pl niech Pan Bóg broni (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen) · pl broń Boże (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen) · fi Herra varjele (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen) · et taevas hoidku (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen) · pl nie daj Boże (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen) · hu ne adj' ég (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen) · tr Allah korusun (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen) · pl Boże uchowaj (used to express that one hopes that something does not happen)