heaven knows

heaven knows

1. No one knows (except for God or the heavens). Heaven knows how long it will take for my application to be processed. A: "How do you think you did on your exam?" B: "Heaven knows!"
2. It is absolutely true, certain, or definite that; it is obvious or clear that. Heaven knows I need to do well on this test or I can kiss my scholarship goodbye!
See also: heaven, know
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

God/goodness/Heaven knows

(spoken)
1 I do not know; no one knows: ‘What’s going to happen next?’ ‘God knows.’
2 used for adding emphasis to a statement, opinion, etc: God knows how he manages to survive on such a small salary. I’m no gardening expert, goodness knows!(Some people may find the use of God knows offensive.)
See also: god, goodness, heaven, know
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • heaven only knows
  • gosh knows
  • Lord knows...
  • Lord only knows
  • God knows
  • God knows (that) I've tried
  • God only knows
  • God only knows!
  • God/goodness/Heaven knows
  • goodness knows
References in periodicals archive
"'Heaven Knows' has something special and unique about it.
His song was set to the music of The Smiths' Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now by Midland composer Richie Webb (below left).
Heaven knows it's not an easy place to be: there's no privacy; the danger of copying a rival's recipe is ever present and then there's making sure you're not over-exposed.
The tracks are Straight as the Crow Flies (4:07); What Remains Is Love (4:36); Almost Blue (4:10); Little Sparrow (5:08); Only Heaven Knows (4:11); Meet the Sun Halfway (3:19); Turning to You (4:50); Lying Next to You (3:24); All for the Love (3:11); Little Trip to Heaven (3:39); Single Drop of Rain (3:45) and Singing with You (3:45).
And in "Heaven Knows," Deitrick Haddon sings about our social ills, warning us that "heaven is listening, heaven is watching, that heaven knows" Powerful verses implore, "The world needs a revival, we've walked away from the Bible" and "Heaven knows that the world needs healing, somewhere we've lost our feeling."
Full disclosure: In this era of Oprahokayed emotionally redemptive "truth," and given my unreliable memory, perhaps it was not National Geographic but a scene from the movie Heaven Knows, Mr.
Heaven knows what impression these toilets would have on visitors to the town.
Heaven knows that Deborah's story was genuine enough, and admirable in its own right, but imaginative friends and eager writers soon transformed the doughty 23-year-old woman into a "lively comely young nymph" of 19 years.
Heaven knows it's bad enough hearing that word flow out of the mouths of my own people.
Because, heaven knows, up until now, there has not seemed to be a lot of communication--unless you count the communiques, petitions and letters condemning one thing or another that get passed around by e-mail and pop up on the Internet like rodents in a carnival whack-a-mole game.
And there is no masters recipient who carries a target on their arm that says to all: "ask me, send me, task me, or demand of me." Heaven knows that my wonderful partner, (Air Force Chief of Staff General) John Jumper, lives those thoughts time after time in dealing with me!
Heaven knows where that leaves the City supporters who cheered for Colchester at the end of the 3-0 debacle eight days ago.
DAVE McALMONT and Bernard Butler have not been blessed with much chart success - heaven knows why, as they seem to produce perfect pop.
Even with our law firm's newest intern spending his summer reading back issues of Hotline (and flirting with our summer intern), the bills got to about $12,000 quicker that I could say, "Torts R Us." Heaven knows what the cost would be today.
Heaven knows there are many kids--gay and straight--who need mentors, supervisors for day trips, or after-school teachers.