(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
The name God is given to the spirit or being who is worshipped as the creator and ruler of the world, especially by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
He believes in God...
God bless you.
N-PROPER
2.
People sometimes use God in exclamations to emphasize something that they are saying, or to express surprise, fear, or excitement. This use could cause offence.
God, how I hated him!...
Oh my God he’s shot somebody...
CONVENTION emphasis
3.
In many religions, a ~ is one of the spirits or beings that are believed to have power over a particular part of the world or nature.
...Pan, the God of nature.
...Zeus, king of the ~s.
N-COUNT
4.
Someone who is admired very much by a person or group of people, and who influences them a lot, can be referred to as a ~.
To his followers he was a ~.
N-COUNT
5.
see also act of God
6.
If you say God forbid, you are expressing your hope that something will not happen.
If, God forbid, something goes wrong, I don’t know what I would do.
PHRASE: PHR with cl feelings
7.
You can say God knows, God only knows, or God alone knows to emphasize that you do not know something.
Gunga spoke God knows how many languages...
God alone knows what she thinks.
PHRASE: PHR wh emphasis
8.
If someone says God knows in reply to a question, they mean that they do not know the answer.
‘Where is he now?’ ‘God knows.’
PHRASE emphasis
9.
The term a man of God is sometimes used to refer to Christian priests or ministers.
PHRASE
10.
If someone uses such expressions as what in God’s name, why in God’s name, or how in God’s name, they are emphasizing how angry, annoyed, or surprised they are. (INFORMAL)
What in God’s name do you expect me to do?...
Why in God’s name did you have to tell her?
PHRASE emphasis
11.
If someone plays God, they act as if they have unlimited power and can do anything they want.
You have no right to play God in my life!
PHRASE: V inflects disapproval
12.
You can use God in expressions such as I hope to God, or I wish to God, or I swear to God, in order to emphasize what you are saying.
I hope to God they are paying you well...
I wish to God I hadn’t met you.
PHRASE: usu v PHR that emphasis
13.
If you say God willing, you are saying that something will happen if all goes well.
God willing, there will be a breakthrough.
PHRASE
14.
honest to God: see honest
in the lap of the ~s: see lap
for God’s sake: see sake
thank God: see thank