Gobi Desert, the
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**Go·bi Desert, the** /ˌgəʊbi ˈdezət||- ɑːrt/ also **the Gobi** one of the largest deserts in the world. It is partly in northern China and partly in Mongolia.
**gob·let** /ˈgɒblɪt||ˈgɑːb-/ *n* especially *old use* a container for drinking, usually of glass or metal, with a base and stem but no handles, and used especially for wine
**gob·lin** /ˈgɒblɪn||ˈgɑːb-/ *n* a small, often ugly **FAIRY** that is usually unkind or evil and plays tricks on people → see also **HOBGOBLIN**
**gob·smacked**
/ˈgɒbsmækt||ˈgɑːb-/ also **gob·struck**
/ˈgɒbstrʌk||ˈgɑːb-/ *adj BrE infml* suffering from great surprise, disappointment, pleasure, or other strong emotion; **FLABBERGASTED**
**gob·stop·per**
/ˈgɒbstɒpə||ˈgɑːbstɑː-/ *BrE* || **jawbreaker** *AmE* — *n* a large, round, hard sweet
**god** /gɒd||gɑːd/ *n* a being who is worshipped, especially for having made or for ruling over the world or a part of the world: *They made a sacrifice to the god of rain.* | *The ancient Greeks had many gods.* | *(fig.)* *He makes a god of his work* (=gives too much importance to it) *and forgets his family*. → see also **GODS**, **TIN GOD**, **in the lap of the gods** (**LAP**¹)
**God** **1** the spirit or power who Christians, Jews, and Muslims pray to and regard as the maker and ruler of the universe: *Most Americans believe in God.* | *We put our faith in God.* | *to pray to God*
> **CULTURAL NOTE** Some people imagine God as an old man with long hair and a long white beard.
**2** God/oh (my) God/good God (almighty) *infml* used to show that you are surprised, annoyed, or amused, or to emphasize what you are saying: *Oh God, how embarrassing!* **3** God (only) knows *infml* **a)** used to emphasize that you are annoyed because you do not know something, or because you think that something is unreasonable: **God knows who/what/how etc** *God knows what she's doing in there.* **b)** used to emphasize what you are saying: *God knows, it hasn't been easy.* **4** for God's sake *infml* used to emphasize what you are saying when you are annoyed: *Oh, for God's sake, shut up!* **5** God forbid (that) *infml* used to emphasize that you hope that something will not happen: *God forbid that she should ever hurt you.* **6** honest to God *infml* used to emphasize that you are not lying or joking: *Honest to God, I didn't tell her!* **7** God help you/him etc *infml* used to warn someone that they will be punished for what they have done: *God help you if Mom comes home and you're still here!* **8** God help us *infml*, usually *humor* used when you think that something bad is going to happen: '*Simon's doing the cooking.*' '*God help us!*' **9** God bless used to show your affection for someone: *Goodnight, Jenny — God bless.* **10** God willing *infml* used to say that you hope there will be no problems: *We'll be moving next month, God willing.* **11** God-given received from God: *a God-given talent for singing* | *a God-given right* (=the right to do something without asking anyone else's opinion) **12** God rest his/her soul also God rest him/her *old-fash* used to show respect when speaking about someone who is dead **13** God moves in a mysterious way/mysterious ways saying a phrase from a Christian **HYMN** (=a song of praise to God), meaning that God's intentions are not always clear, sometimes used humorously to mean that a bad event or situation may bring unexpected advantages **14** God is in his heaven, all's right with the world saying a phrase from a poem by Robert Browning **15** Man proposes, God disposes saying people can make plans but whether or not they are successful depends on God **16** My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? a phrase which, according to the Bible, was spoken by Jesus just before he died on the cross **17** Ye cannot serve God and Mammon saying a phrase from the Bible, meaning that you cannot spend all of your time trying to get rich and also be a good Christian **18** Nearer my God to Thee a Christian **HYMN**. It was sung by the people on the ship the *Titanic* as it sank. → see also **ACT OF GOD**, **GOD'S GIFT**, **there but for the grace of God** (**GRACE**¹), **thank God/goodness/heavens** (**THANK**)
> **USAGE** In informal spoken English there are many common expressions that use **God** in a non-religious way, especially phrases used to emphasize what you are saying. However, many Christians find these expressions offensive.
**God·ard, Jean-Luc** /ˈgɒdɑ||ˈgɑːrdɑːrd, ʒn luːk||ɑːn-/ (1930–) a French film writer and **DIRECTOR** whose films include *Breathless* (1959) and *Weekend* (1968), and who is known for using new and unusual methods of making films
**'god-awful** *adj slang* very bad or unpleasant
**god-child** /ˈgɒdtʃaɪld||ˈgɑːrd-/ *n pl.* **-children** /-tʃɪldrən/ (in the Christian religion) the child (**godson** or **goddaughter**) for whom a **GODPARENT** takes responsibility by making promises at a ceremony (**BAPTISM**) e.g. to look after them if anything happens to their parents and to bring them up in the Christian faith
**god-dam-mit** /ˈgɒdæmɪt||ˈgɑː-/ *interj* especially *AmE* used to express annoyance, anger etc
**god-damn, goddam** /ˈgɒdæm||ˈgɑː-/ also **god-damned** /-dəmd/ *adj, adv, interj* [**A**] **DAMN**
**god-dess** /ˈgɒdɪs||ˈgɑː-/ *n* a female being who is worshipped, especially for having made or for ruling over the world or part of the world: *the goddess of the moon*
**god·fa·ther** /ˈgɒdˌfɑðə||ˈgɑːrd-/ *n* **1** a male **GODPARENT** **2** slang (often *cap.*) the head of a criminal organization or Mafia family
**Godfather, The** (1972) a violent US film, based on the book by Mario Puzo, and made by Francis Ford **COPPOLA**, in which Marlon **BRANDO** appears as the leader of a powerful **MAFIA** family, the Corleone family, and Al Pacino appears as his son. Brando's character is remembered for saying 'I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse', and he organizes murders and other crimes using his family and friends. Two other films, *The Godfather Part II* and *The Godfather Part III*, were made about the same family. → see colour photo on page A32
**'god-fearing** *adj old-fash* morally good and closely following the rules of the Christian religion; **GODLY**
**god-for-sak-en** /ˌgɒdfəˈseɪkən||ˌgɑrfər-/ *adj derog* (of a place) far from cities and towns and containing nothing useful, interesting, attractive, or cheerful, and often in very bad condition, in very wild country etc: *He was sent to work in some godforsaken remote village.*
**'God-given** *ad* [usually before noun] received from God: *She has a God-given talent for singing.* | *a God-given right* (=the right to do something without asking anyone else's opinion) *The protesters have no God-given right to disrupt the life of the city.*
**god·head** /ˈgɒdhed||ˈgɑːrd-/ *n* [**the**] *fml* God
**Go·di·va, Lady** /gəˈdaɪvə/ an 11th-century English woman of high rank who is believed to have ridden a horse through Coventry with no clothes on as a **PROTEST**, to persuade her husband to lower the local taxes
**god·less** /ˈgɒdlɪs||ˈgɑːrd-/ *adj fml* wicked; not showing respect for God or belief in God →**-ly** *adv* →**-ness** *n* [**U**]