heaven
- the abode of God, the angels, and the spirits of the righteous after death; the place or state of existence of the blessed after the mortal life.
- (initial capital letter) Often Heavens. the celestial powers; God.
- a metonym for God: May heaven help us!
- heavens, (used with a singular verb) a wooden roof or canopy over the outer stage of an Elizabethan theater.
- Usually heavens. the sky, firmament, or expanse of space surrounding the earth.
- a place or state of supreme happiness: She made his life a heaven on earth.
- heavens, (used to express emphasis, surprise, etc.): For heaven's sake! Good heavens!
- move heaven and earth, to do one's utmost to effect an end; make a supreme effort: She promised to move heaven and earth to be there for our wedding anniversary.
Origin of heaven
Related Words for heavens
nirvana, immortality, paradise, kingdom, atmosphere, upstairs, rapture, ecstasy, Shangri-la, happiness, sky, bliss, harmony, firmament, enchantment, eternity, felicity, hereafter, glory, empyreanExamples from the Web for heavens
Contemporary Examples of heavens
They will do it,” Revels declared, “as certainly as the sun shines in the heavens.
Reagan later told a reporter that his pilot followed the mysterious light before it suddenly “shot up into the heavens.”
1980: America’s First Extraterrestrial ElectionOctober 15, 2014
Richard Branson and Elon Musk have taken very different paths in their race to the heavens.
But miraculously they must float in the heavens so far away from us, their beautiful light will continue to shine on us forever.
Despite the rapid growth, Bhutan is still trying to keep its traditions alive and preserve the heavens for generations to come.
Historical Examples of heavens
They studied the heavens and named the twelve signs of the Zodiak.
Ancient ManHendrik Willem van Loon
I did not know what to make of my life because the Holder of the Heavens had not revealed himself to me.
The Trail BookMary Austin
I had the power of a Shaman, though the Holder of the Heavens had not yet spoken to me.
The Trail BookMary Austin
That is how it is when the Holder of the Heavens shows Himself to his children.
The Trail BookMary Austin
Heavens, that was seven days, and every day had at least sixteen waking hours.
Chip, of the Flying UB. M. Bower
heaven
- (sometimes capital) Christianity
- the abode of God and the angels
- a place or state of communion with God after deathCompare hell
- (usually plural) the sky, firmament or space surrounding the earth
- (in any of various mythologies) a place, such as Elysium or Valhalla, to which those who have died in the gods' favour are brought to dwell in happiness
- a place or state of joy and happiness
- (singular or plural; sometimes capital) God or the gods, used in exclamatory phrases of surprise, exasperation, etcfor heaven's sake; heavens above
- in seventh heaven ecstatically happy
- move heaven and earth to do everything possible (to achieve something)
Word Origin for heaven
Word Origin and History for heavens
"realm of the heavenly bodies," 1670s, from heaven.
heaven
Old English heofon "home of God," earlier "sky, firmament," probably from Proto-Germanic *hibin-, dissimilated from *himin- (cf. Low German heben, Old Norse himinn, Gothic himins, Old Frisian himul, Dutch hemel, German Himmel "heaven, sky"), perhaps from PIE root *kem-/*kam- "to cover" (cf. chemise). [Watkins derives it elaborately from PIE *ak- "sharp" via *akman- "stone, sharp stone," then "stony vault of heaven"].
Plural use in sense of "sky" is probably from Ptolemaic theory of space composed of many spheres, but it also formerly was used in the same sense as the singular in Biblical language, as a translation of Hebrew plural shamayim. Heaven-sent (adj.) attested from 1640s.
heaven
Idioms and Phrases with heavens
heaven
In addition to the idioms beginning with heaven
- heaven knows
- heavenly days
also see:
- for one's (heaven's) sake
- god (heaven) forbid
- god (heaven) knows
- in seventh heaven
- in the name of (heaven)
- manna from heaven
- move heaven and earth
- pennies from heaven
- seventh heaven
- stink to high heaven
- thank god (heaven)