god
noun /ɡɒd/
/ɡɑːd/
Idioms - God[singular] (not used with the) (in Christianity, Islam and Judaism) the being or spirit that is worshipped and is believed to have created the universe
- Do you believe in God?
- Good luck and God bless you.
- Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
- I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give… (= in a court of law)
Collocations ReligionReligionBeing religious- believe in God/Christ/Allah/free will/predestination/heaven and hell/an afterlife/reincarnation
- be/become a believer/an atheist/an agnostic/a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist, etc.
- convert to/practise a religion/Buddhism/Catholicism/Christianity/Islam/Judaism, etc.
- go to church/(North American English) temple (= the synagogue)
- go to the local church/mosque/synagogue/gurdwara
- belong to a church/a religious community
- join/enter the church/a convent/a monastery/a religious sect/the clergy/the priesthood
- praise/worship/obey/serve/glorify God
- attend/hold/conduct/lead a service
- perform a ceremony/a rite/a ritual/a baptism/the Hajj/a mitzvah
- carry out/perform a sacred/burial/funeral/fertility/purification rite
- go on/make a pilgrimage
- celebrate Christmas/Easter/Eid/Ramadan/Hanukkah/Passover/Diwali
- observe/break the Sabbath/a fast/Ramadan
- deliver/preach/hear a sermon
- lead/address the congregation
- say/recite a prayer/blessing
- preach/proclaim/spread the word of God/the Gospel/the message of Islam
- study/follow the dharma/the teachings of Buddha
- read/study/understand/interpret scripture/the Bible/the Koran/the gospel/the Torah
- be based on/derive from divine revelation
- commit/consider something heresy/sacrilege
- seek/find/gain enlightenment/wisdom
- strengthen/lose your faith
- keep/practise/practice/abandon the faith
- save/purify/lose your soul
- obey/follow/keep/break/violate a commandment/Islamic law/Jewish law
- be/accept/do God’s will
- receive/experience divine grace
- achieve/attain enlightenment/salvation/nirvana
- undergo a conversion/rebirth/reincarnation
- hear/answer a prayer
- commit/confess/forgive a sin
- do/perform penance
Extra ExamplesTopics Religion and festivalsa2- He has given up drinking and found God.
- He saw the accident as the will of God.
- Muslims have only one God.
- Nothing ever shook her faith in God.
- the Jewish God
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- pagan
- Christian
- Greek
- …
- believe in
- follow
- have
- …
- exist
- god of
- faith in God
- God’s will
- the will of God
- …
- [countable] (in some religions) a being or spirit who is believed to have power over a particular part of nature or who is believed to represent a particular quality
- Greek gods
- the sun/rain god
- god of something Mars was the Roman god of war.
Extra ExamplesTopics Religion and festivalsa2- The people worshipped pagan gods.
- The Romans had many gods.
- those who follow false gods
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- pagan
- Christian
- Greek
- …
- believe in
- follow
- have
- …
- exist
- god of
- faith in God
- God’s will
- the will of God
- …
- [countable] a person who is loved or admired very much by other people
- To her fans she's a god.
- [countable] something to which too much importance or attention is given
- Money is his god.
- the gods[plural] (British English, informal) the seats that are high up at the back of a theatre
- We could only afford to sit in the gods.
Word OriginOld English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch god and German Gott.
Idioms
act of God
- (law) an event caused by natural forces beyond human control, such as a storm, a flood or an earthquakeTopics The environmentc2
by God!
- (old-fashioned, informal) used to emphasize a feeling of surprise or that you are determined to do something Some people find this use of God offensive.
for the love of God
- (old-fashioned, informal) used when you are expressing anger and the fact that you are impatient
- For the love of God, tell me what he said!
God | God almighty | God in heaven | good God | my God | oh (dear) God
- (informal) used to emphasize what you are saying when you are surprised, shocked or annoyed
- God, what a stupid thing to do!
God bless
- used when you are leaving somebody, to say that you hope they will be safe, etc.
- Goodnight, God bless.
God/Heaven forbid (that…)
- (informal) used to say that you hope that something will not happen
- ‘Maybe you'll end up as a lawyer, like me.’ ‘God forbid!’
God/Heaven help somebody
- (informal) used to say that you are afraid somebody will be in danger or that something bad will happen to them
- God help us if this doesn't work.
God/goodness/Heaven knows (informal) Some people may find this use of God offensive.
- used to emphasize that you do not know something
- God knows what else they might find.
- ‘Where are they?’ ‘Goodness knows.’
- used to emphasize the truth of what you are saying
- She ought to pass the exam—goodness knows she's been working hard enough.
God rest his/her soul | God rest him/her
- (old-fashioned, informal) used to show respect when you are talking about somebody who is dead
God’s gift (to somebody/something)
- (ironic) a person who thinks that they are particularly good at something or who thinks that somebody will find them particularly attractive
- He seems to think he's God's gift to women.
God willing
- (informal) used to say that you hope that things will happen as you have planned and that there will be no problems
- I'll be back next week, God willing.
Heaven/God forfend (that)…
- (humorous or old use) used to say that you are frightened of the idea of something happening
- Heaven forfend that students are encouraged to think!
honest to God/goodness
- used to emphasize that what you are saying is true
- Honest to God, Mary, I'm not joking.
in God’s/Heaven’s name | in the name of God/Heaven
- used especially in questions to show that you are angry, surprised or shocked
- What in God's name was that noise?
- Where in the name of Heaven have you been?
in the lap of the gods
- if the result of something is in the lap of the gods, you do not know what will happen because it depends on luck or things you cannot control
a man of God/the cloth
- (old-fashioned, formal) a religious man, especially a priest or a clergyman
play God
- to behave as if you control events or other people’s lives
- It is unfair to ask doctors to play God and end someone's life.
please God
- used to say that you very much hope or wish that something will happen or not happen
- Please God, don't let him be dead.
put the fear of God into somebody
- to make somebody very frightened, especially in order to make them do something
so help me (God)
- used to swear that what you are saying is true, especially in a court of law
thank God/goodness/heaven(s) (for something)
- used to say that you are pleased about something
- Thank God you're safe!
- ‘Thank goodness for that!’ she said with a sigh of relief.
- Thank heavens I've found my keys.
there but for the grace of God (go I)
- (saying) used to say that you could easily have been in the same difficult or unpleasant situation that somebody else is in
to God/goodness/Heaven
- used after a verb to emphasize a particular hope, wish, etc.
- I wish to God you'd learn to pay attention!
ye gods!
- (old-fashioned, informal) used to show surprise, lack of belief, etc.