heaven forbid
God prevent it
Heaven forbid is an exclamation expressing hope that something undesirable won't happen: Heaven forbid she finds out about this.
It functions as a mild oath invoking divine prevention, though often used by speakers with no religious intent.
The phrase typically introduces or follows a feared scenario: Heaven forbid we should actually enjoy ourselves.
- prayAddress a deity
- providenceDivine protective care
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- exclamationForceful sudden utterance
- interjectionEmotional outcry word class
touch wood · unthinkable · fate · over my dead body · under no circumstances · expression · idiom · divine intervention · wish · not in a million years · fear · no way · dread · plea · omen · anxiety · ward off · horror
heaven forbidGod willing
Conditional hope invoking deity
hopefully · if only · inshallah · please God · with any luck
heaven forbidinevitably
Sure to happen
certainly · no doubt · surely · of course · bound to happen
heaven, forbid, heavens, heavenly, heavenward, heavenwards, forbids, forbade, forbidden