ENGLISH
REFERENCE

phew

interj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈfju// UK //fjˈuː// phew

interj. a sound you make to show you are happy that something bad is over or did not happen. You use it when you feel relieved or very tired.

interj. an utterance used to express relief, fatigue, or a sense of being overwhelmed. It typically signals the resolution of a stressful or physically demanding situation.


SIMPLE

Phew, I am so glad that test is finally over.

CONTEXTUAL

Phew, that was a close call; I almost missed the train because of the heavy traffic.

COMPLEX

Phew, I thought we had lost the client's data forever, but the IT department managed to recover the backup just in time.

Origin

Attested since the early 17th century. An onomatopoeia for rapid exhalation, as one may make when a trying situation is over, or in order to get rid of an unpleasant odour. Compare Scots feuch, Spanish fu, Czech fuj, and many more such forms.

Usage

Used as a standalone exclamation or at the beginning of a sentence to set the emotional tone of relief.

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