Hebrew

Interjection

חָלִילָה • ‎(khalíla)

1. far be it, it is forbidden, it would be a desecration
   • 1 Kings 21:3, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיֹּאמֶר נָבוֹת אֶל־אַחְאָב חָלִילָה לִּי מֵיְהוָה מִתִּתִּי אֶת־נַחֲלַת אֲבֹתַי לָךְ׃‎

     vayómer navót 'el-'akh'áv khalíla lí meYHVH mitití 'et-nakhalát 'avotái lákh.
     wayyṓmer nāḇōṯ ʾel-ʾaḥʾāḇ ḥālī́lā llī mēYHWH mittittī ʾeṯ-naḥălaṯ ʾăḇōṯay lāḵ.

     And Naboth said to Ahab: ‘The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.’

2. God forbid, heaven forbid

Derived terms

• חַס וְחָלִילָה

Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew חָלִילָה.

Interjection

חלילה • ‎(kholile)

1. God forbid, heaven forbid