chas v'chalila

Pronunciations

chas v'chalila (khas vih-khah-LEE-lah) listen
chas v'chalila (HAHS VEH hah-lee-LAH) listen

Definitions

  • interj. God forbid; expresses the desire that something not happen.

Example Sentences

  • "She might fail her bar exam." "Chas v'cholile."

Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew
  • Yiddish

Etymology

  • TH חס וחלילה > Y חס־וחלילה khas vekholile

    • Who Uses This

      • Orthodox: Jews who identify as Orthodox and observe halacha (Jewish law)
      • Israel: Diaspora Jews who feel connected to Israel and have spent time there

      Regions

      • North America
      • Great Britain
      • South Africa
      • Australia / New Zealand

      Dictionaries

      • Yiddish and English: A Century of Yiddish in America, by Sol Steinmetz (Tuscaloosa, 1986).

      Alternative Spellings

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