transcription, транскрипция: [ hevən ]
( heavens)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
In some religions, heaven is said to be the place where God lives, where good people go when they die, and where everyone is always happy. It is usually imagined as being high up in the sky.
= paradise
N-PROPER
2.
You can use heaven to refer to a place or situation that you like very much. ( INFORMAL )
We went touring in Wales and Ireland. It was heaven...
= paradise
N-UNCOUNT
3.
The heavens are the sky. ( OLD-FASHIONED )
He walked out into the middle of the road, looking up at the heavens.
= sky, skies
N-PLURAL : the N
4.
see also seventh heaven
5.
You say ‘ Heaven forbid! ’ to emphasize that you very much hope that something will not happen. ( SPOKEN )
Heaven forbid that he should leave because of me!
PHRASE : PHR that [ emphasis ]
6.
You say ‘ Good heavens! ’ or ‘ Heavens! ’ to express surprise or to emphasize that you agree or disagree with someone. ( SPOKEN )
Good Heavens! That explains a lot!...
EXCLAM [ feelings ]
7.
You say ‘ Heaven help someone’ when you are worried that something bad is going to happen to them, often because you disapprove of what they are doing or the way they are behaving. ( SPOKEN )
If this makes sense to our leaders, then heaven help us all...
PHRASE : PHR n [ disapproval ]
8.
You can say ‘ Heaven knows ’ to emphasize that you do not know something, or that you find something very surprising. ( SPOKEN )
Heaven knows what they put in it.
PHRASE : PHR wh [ emphasis ]
9.
You can say ‘ Heaven knows ’ to emphasize something that you feel or believe very strongly. ( SPOKEN )
Heaven knows they have enough money...
PHRASE : PHR with cl [ emphasis ]
10.
If the heavens open , it suddenly starts raining very heavily.
The match had just begun when the heavens opened and play was suspended.
PHRASE : V inflects
11.
for heaven’s sake: see sake
thank heavens: see thank