God knows
1. No one knows (except for God). God knows how long it will take for my application to be processed. A: "How do you think you did on your exam?" B: "God knows!" There's a pipe leaking? Yikes, God knows how long that's been going on!
2. It is absolutely true, certain, or definite that; it is obvious or clear that. God knows I need to do well on this test or I can kiss my scholarship goodbye! What are you, a fool? God knows they don't let freshmen geeks like you into their club. Now that there are criminal charges against that man, God knows he'll never work in this town again!
goodness knows
1. No one knows. (A variant of "God knows.") Goodness knows how long it will take for my application to be processed. A: "How do you think you did on your exam?" B: "Goodness knows!" There's a pipe leaking? Yikes, goodness knows how long that's been going on!
2. It is true, certain, or definite that; it is obvious or clear that. Goodness knows I need to do well on this test, or I can kiss my scholarship goodbye! What are you, a fool? Goodness knows they don't let freshmen geeks like you into their club. Now that there are criminal charges against that man, goodness knows he'll never work in this town again!
heaven knows
1. No one knows (except for God or the heavens). Heaven knows how long it will take for my application to be processed. A: "How do you think you did on your exam?" B: "Heaven knows!" There's a pipe leaking? Yikes, heaven knows how long that's been going on!
2. It is absolutely true, certain, or definite that; it is obvious or clear that. Heaven knows I need to do well on this test or I can kiss my scholarship goodbye! What are you, a fool? Heaven knows they don't let freshmen geeks like you into their club. Now that there are criminal charges against that man, heaven knows he'll never work in this town again!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
God knows
Also, goodness knows; heaven knows.
1. Truly, certainly, definitely, as in God knows I need a winter coat. This expression, which originated about 1300 as God wot, does not necessarily imply that God is all-knowing but merely emphasizes the truth of the statement it accompanies. The variants using goodness and heaven are euphemisms that avoid taking God's name in vain. [Second half of 1500s]
2. Also, God only knows. Only God knows, that is, neither I nor anyone else knows, as in God knows where I've stored those photos, or God only knows how many people will join the march. [Second half of 1500s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.