intensifying expressions

0

God forbid

God forbid [idiom]

a way of saying that you hope something does not happen

Example:

God forbid (that) his parents should ever find out.

media:

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

2. God/Heaven forbid spoken used to emphasize that you hope that something will not happen:
‘Supposing I had an accident.’ ‘God forbid!’

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

God forbid (that …)

God/Heaven forˈbid (that…) idiom
(informal) used to say that you hope that sth will not happen
• ‘Maybe you'll end up as a lawyer, like me.’ ‘God forbid!’ Some people find this use offensive.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

heaven forbid ( also God forbid )

a way of saying that you hope something does not happen:
Heaven forbid (that) his parents should ever find out.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

6) PHRASE: PHR with cl (feelings) 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.
  Syn:
  heaven forbid

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

God/heaven forbid
- used in speech to say that you hope a bad thing will not happen
• This is the number you should call if, God forbid, you should get into an accident.
• Heaven forbid that something bad should happen.

American English

British English

intensifying expressions

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

god forbid