heaven
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the place where God lives and where good people are believed to go after they die.
the dwelling place of the deity and the blessed dead in various religious traditions, often contrasted with hell.
Simple“Many people believe that they will see their loved ones again in heaven.”
In context“The fresco on the cathedral ceiling depicts a vibrant vision of heaven, populated by saints and celestial beings in eternal light.”
UsageOften capitalized when referring to the specific Christian or monotheistic concept.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a situation or place that makes you feel very happy and relaxed.
a state of supreme happiness or a place of great beauty and delight.
Simple“Lying on the beach with a good book was absolute heaven.”
In context“For a bibliophile, spending a rainy afternoon in a quiet, multi-story library is pure heaven.”
Teacher's tipCommonly used in the phrase 'pure heaven' or 'absolute heaven' to emphasize enjoyment.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
the sky or the space where the stars and planets are.
the expanse of space surrounding the earth; the firmament.
Simple“The stars shone brightly in the dark night heaven.”
In context“Galileo turned his telescope toward the heavens, hoping to uncover the secrets of the celestial bodies.”
UsageIn this sense, it is very often used in the plural form: 'the heavens'.
- 04 C1 Advanced
God or the powers that control what happens in the world.
the celestial powers or divine providence personified.
Simple“Heaven knows why she decided to leave so suddenly.”
In context“The king appealed to heaven to witness the justice of his cause before the battle commenced.”
Teacher's tipOften found in fixed expressions like 'Heaven forbid' or 'Heaven knows'.
Synonyms
“Kumanjayi Little Baby would be with our “father in heaven”, he said at the time.”
“It’s hard to keep your eyes on heaven when your ears keep getting dragged back to the here and now.”
See heaven.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.