Perish the thought Meaning in English

expression

US

ˈpɛɹɪʃ/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈθɔt

PAIR-ish thuh THAWT

UK

pˈɛɹɪʃ/ /ðə, ði/ /θˈɔːt

PEH-rish thuh THAWT

Definition

This expression is used to strongly reject or refuse even the idea of something bad happening. It means you hope something will never happen.

Usage & Nuances

Often said in a slightly dramatic or humorous way. Used when rejecting negative possibilities, not for minor worries. Usually in response to someone suggesting something unwanted, e.g., "What if you lost your job?" "Perish the thought!". Formal/literary in origin, but understood in everyday English.

• Spanish: ¡Ni pensarlo! - ¡Dios no lo quiera!
• Portuguese (BR): Nem pensar! - Deus me livre!
• Portuguese (PT): Nem pensar! - Deus me livre!
• Chinese (Simplified): 绝对不行！ - 千万别这么想！
• Chinese (Traditional): 絕對不行！ - 千萬別這麼想！
• Hindi: ऐसा सोचना भी मत! - भगवान न करे!
• Arabic: لا سمح الله! - بعيد الشر!
• Bengali: ওই কথা না বলাই ভালো - ভাবতেও পারি না
• Russian: даже не думай - не дай Бог
• Japanese: とんでもない - 考えたくもない
• Vietnamese: đừng nghĩ đến điều đó - không dám nghĩ tới
• Korean: 말도 안 돼 - 생각도 하기 싫다
• Turkish: Allah korusun - aklıma bile getirmek istemem
• Urdu: خدا نہ کرے - یہ سوچنا بھی گناہ ہے
• Indonesian: jangan sampai terjadi - jangan dibayangkan

Example Sentences

What if it rains on the wedding day? Perish the thought!

basic

He could fail the exam—perish the thought!

basic

Would you ever quit your job? Perish the thought.

basic

Losing my keys again? Perish the thought! I can't afford that chaos twice.

natural

If our team loses, perish the thought, we won’t hear the end of it from Mark.

natural

Me, move away from this city? Perish the thought—I love it here too much.

natural