heaven forfend

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heaven forfend

/ˌhɛvn̩ fɔːˈfɛnd/ UK
/-fə-/ UK
/ˌhɛv(ə)n fɔɹˈfɛnd/ US

Rhymes with -ɛnd

Where it comes from

From heaven (“abode of God”) + forfend (“to avert; to forbid, prohibit”).

interjection

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!
Similar: heaven forbid, God forbid, heaven forfend, absit omen, God forfend, lo aleinu · Opposite: God willing

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MLA

"heaven forfend." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/heaven%20forfend. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

heaven forfend. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/heaven%20forfend

Chicago

"heaven forfend." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/heaven%20forfend.

BibTeX

@misc{heaven_forfend_2026,
  title = {heaven forfend},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/heaven%20forfend},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}