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heaven

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heav⋅en

  [hev-uhn]
Use heaven in a Sentence
–noun
1. 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.
2. (initial capital letter) Often, Heavens. the celestial powers; God.
3. a metonym for God (used in expressions of emphasis, surprise, etc.): For heaven's sake!
4. heavens,
a. (used interjectionally to express emphasis, surprise, etc.): Heavens, what a cold room!
b. (used with a singular verb) a wooden roof or canopy over the outer stage of an Elizabethan theater.
5. Usually, heavens. the sky, firmament, or expanse of space surrounding the earth.
6. a place or state of supreme happiness: She made his life a heaven on earth.
—Idiom
7. 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:
bef. 900; ME heven, OE heofon; c. MLG heven; akin to ON himinn, Goth himins, G Himmel

Related forms:
heav⋅en⋅less, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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heav·en   (hěv'ən)   
n.  
  1. The sky or universe as seen from the earth; the firmament. Often used in the plural.
  2. Christianity
    1. often Heaven The abode of God, the angels, and the souls of those who are granted salvation.
    2. An eternal state of communion with God; everlasting bliss.
    3. Heaven God: Heaven help you!
    4. heavens Used in various phrases to express surprise: Good heavens!
  3. Any of the places in or beyond the sky conceived of as domains of divine beings in various religions.
    1. Heaven God: Heaven help you!
    2. heavens Used in various phrases to express surprise: Good heavens!
  5. The celestial powers; the gods. Often used in the plural: The heavens favored the young prince.
  6. A condition or place of great happiness, delight, or pleasure: The lake was heaven.

[Middle English heven, from Old English heofon; see ak- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Heaven

Heav"en\ (h[e^]v"'n), n. [OE. heven, hefen, heofen, AS. heofon; akin to OS. hevan, LG. heben, heven, Icel. hifinn; of uncertain origin, cf. D. hemel, G. himmel, Icel. himmin, Goth. himins; perh. akin to, or influenced by, the root of E. heave, or from a root signifying to cover, cf. Goth. gaham[=o]n to put on, clothe one's self, G. hemd shirt, and perh. E. chemise.]

1. The expanse of space surrounding the earth; esp., that which seems to be over the earth like a great arch or dome; the firmament; the sky; the place where the sun, moon, and stars appear; -- often used in the plural in this sense.

I never saw the heavens so dim by day. --Shak.

When my eyes shall be turned to behold for the last time the sun in heaven. --D. Webster.

2. The dwelling place of the Deity; the abode of bliss; the place or state of the blessed after death.

Unto the God of love, high heaven's King. --Spenser.

It is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to hell. --Shak.

New thoughts of God, new hopes of Heaven. --Keble.

Note: In this general sense heaven and its corresponding words in other languages have as various definite interpretations as there are phases of religious belief.

3. The sovereign of heaven; God; also, the assembly of the blessed, collectively; -- used variously in this sense, as in No. 2.

Her prayers, whom Heaven delights to hear. --Shak.

The will And high permission of all-ruling Heaven. --Milton.

4. Any place of supreme happiness or great comfort; perfect felicity; bliss; a sublime or exalted condition; as, a heaven of delight. "A heaven of beauty." --Shak. "The brightest heaven of invention." --Shak.

O bed! bed! delicious bed! That heaven upon earth to the weary head! --Hood.

Note: Heaven is very often used, esp. with participles, in forming compound words, most of which need no special explanation; as, heaven-appeasing, heaven-aspiring, heaven-begot, heaven-born, heaven-bred, heaven-conducted, heaven-descended, heaven-directed, heaven-exalted, heaven-given, heaven-guided, heaven-inflicted, heaven-inspired, heaven-instructed, heaven-kissing, heaven-loved, heaven-moving, heaven-protected, heaven-taught, heaven-warring, and the like.

Heaven

Heav"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Heavened; p. pr. & vb. n. Heavening.] To place in happiness or bliss, as if in heaven; to beatify. [R.]

We are happy as the bird whose nest Is heavened in the hush of purple hills. --G. Massey.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : heaven
Spanish: cielo, paraíso,
German: der Himmel,
Japanese: 天国
More Translations »

heaven (or heavens)

The dwelling place of God, the angels, and the souls of those who have gained salvation; a place of the greatest peace and beauty. (Compare hell.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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heaven 
O.E. heofon "home of God," earlier "sky," possibly from P.Gmc. *khemina- (cf. Low Ger. heben, O.N. himinn, Goth. himins, O.Fris. himul, Du. hemel, Ger. Himmel "heaven, sky"), from PIE base *kem-/*kam- "to cover" (cf. chemise). Plural use in sense of "sky" is probably from Ptolemaic theory of space composed of many spheres, but it was also formerly used in the same sense as the singular in Biblical language, as a translation of Heb. pl. shamayim. Heavenly "beautiful, divine" is from 1460, often (though not originally) with reference to the celestial "music of the spheres;" weakened sense of "excellent, enjoyable" is first recorded 1874.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Heaven

(1.) Definitions. The phrase "heaven and earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Gen. 1:1; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens, (a) The firmament, as "fowls of the heaven" (Gen. 2:19; 7:3, 23; Ps. 8:8, etc.), "the eagles of heaven" (Lam. 4:19), etc. (b) The starry heavens (Deut. 17:3; Jer. 8:2; Matt. 24:29). (c) "The heaven of heavens," or "the third heaven" (Deut. 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 115:16; 148:4; 2 Cor. 12:2). (2.) Meaning of words in the original, (a) The usual Hebrew word for "heavens" is _shamayim_, a plural form meaning "heights," "elevations" (Gen. 1:1; 2:1). (b) The Hebrew word _marom_ is also used (Ps. 68:18; 93:4; 102:19, etc.) as equivalent to _shamayim_, "high places," "heights." (c) Heb. galgal, literally a "wheel," is rendered "heaven" in Ps. 77:18 (R.V., "whirlwind"). (d) Heb. shahak, rendered "sky" (Deut. 33:26; Job 37:18; Ps. 18:11), plural "clouds" (Job 35:5; 36:28; Ps. 68:34, marg. "heavens"), means probably the firmament. (e) Heb. rakia is closely connected with (d), and is rendered "firmamentum" in the Vulgate, whence our "firmament" (Gen. 1:6; Deut. 33:26, etc.), regarded as a solid expanse. (3.) Metaphorical meaning of term. Isa. 14:13, 14; "doors of heaven" (Ps. 78:23); heaven "shut" (1 Kings 8:35); "opened" (Ezek. 1:1). (See 1 Chr. 21:16.) (4.) Spiritual meaning. The place of the everlasting blessedness of the righteous; the abode of departed spirits. (a) Christ calls it his "Father's house" (John 14:2). (b) It is called "paradise" (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7). (c) "The heavenly Jerusalem" (Gal. 4: 26; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 3:12). (d) The "kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 25:1; James 2:5). (e) The "eternal kingdom" (2 Pet. 1:11). (f) The "eternal inheritance" (1 Pet. 1:4; Heb. 9:15). (g) The "better country" (Heb. 11:14, 16). (h) The blessed are said to "sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and to be "in Abraham's bosom" (Luke 16:22; Matt. 8:11); to "reign with Christ" (2 Tim. 2:12); and to enjoy "rest" (Heb. 4:10, 11). In heaven the blessedness of the righteous consists in the possession of "life everlasting," "an eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17), an exemption from all sufferings for ever, a deliverance from all evils (2 Cor. 5:1, 2) and from the society of the wicked (2 Tim. 4:18), bliss without termination, the "fulness of joy" for ever (Luke 20:36; 2 Cor. 4:16, 18; 1 Pet. 1:4; 5:10; 1 John 3:2). The believer's heaven is not only a state of everlasting blessedness, but also a "place", a place "prepared" for them (John 14:2).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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heaven

In addition to the idioms beginning with heaven, 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).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Heaven and Hell
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 www.daniel-tal.com