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Friday February 28, 2003

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forfend \for-FEND\ , transitive verb:
1. a. (Archaic) To prohibit; to forbid. b. To ward off; to prevent; to avert.
2. To defend; to protect; to preserve.

The Tory leader sort of wanted to say that the government should deploy the army more rapidly, but -- heaven forfend -- he didn't want to imply that it was anybody's fault that the soldiers hadn't been deployed!
-- Simon Hoggart, "A greasy whiff dispels the stench of worthiness", Guardian, March 22, 2001

If one of us is missing, heaven forfend, then the king's forces are diminished.
-- Leon Wieseltier, Kaddish

The river of discovery will continue to flow without cessation, deepening our understanding of the world and enhancing our capacity to forfend calamity and live congenial lives.
-- John Maddox, What Remains To Be Discovered

In addition, to forfend direct Chinese involvement, which was extremely unlikely, the administration guaranteed the northern regime, thus removing a major deterrent.
-- Morton A. Kaplan, "Cruel Vietnam Follies", The World & I, September 1, 1995

Forfend is from Middle English forfenden, from for-, "for-" + fenden, "to ward off."

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for forfend

 

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