act of God

act of God

A natural disaster, or any similar large-scale event beyond human control. I don't care about a little rain—only an act of God will keep us from getting married today. There is no way to prepare for a sudden act of God like an earthquake. If my best friend is going to be starring in a Broadway play, I will be there in the front row for sure. An act of God couldn't keep me away!

See also: act, god, of

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

an act of God

an occurrence or an event for which no human is responsible; an act of nature such as a storm, an earthquake, or a wildfire. Will your insurance com­ pany pay for damage caused by earthquakes and other acts of God?

See also: act, an, god, of

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

act of God

An unforeseen and uncontrollable natural event, such as a hurricane, fire, or flood. For example, The publisher shall publish the work within twelve months except in case of delay caused by acts of God such as fires or floods or other circumstances beyond its control . It most often appears in legal contracts, where it is used to indemnify one party against a disaster that prevents it from carrying out the contract's terms. [Mid-1800s]

See also: act, god, of

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.

an act of God

An act of God is an event that is beyond human control, especially one in which something is damaged or someone is hurt. The President described the disaster as an act of God. The manmade financial crisis came on top of an act of God, a terrible winter of heavy snowfall and ice. Note: This expression is sometimes used in legal documents such as insurance documents.

See also: act, an, god, of

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

act of God

an instance of uncontrollable natural forces in operation.

This phrase is often used in insurance contracts to refer to incidents such as lightning strikes or floods.

See also: act, god, of

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

an ˌact of ˈGod

(law) an event caused by natural forces which people cannot control or prevent, for example a hurricane (= a very strong wind), an earthquake, etc: The insurance covers your house against all types of damage, excluding those caused by acts of God.

See also: act, an, god, of

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017