חלילה

חלילה

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
ח־ל־ל‎

Related to חילל \\ חִלֵּל‎ (khilél, “to desecrate, defile”). Probably cognate to Arabic حَلَّلَ‎ (ḥallala, “to allow”, literally “to declare profane”); possibly also related to Arabic خَلّ‎ (ḵall).

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

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Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew חָלִילָה‎.

Interjection

חלילה • (kholile)

1. God forbid, heaven forbid