G-d
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English
Alternative forms
Proper noun
- (Judaism) A deliberately incomplete spelling of God.
- (dated, Christianity) Censored spelling of God in contexts perceived as blasphemous.
- 1784, Thomas Sheridan, “Section VII.”, in The Life of the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick’s, Dublin, London: C Bathurst, W Strahan, B. Collins, , pages 438–439:
- […] after ſome pauſe, his rage for a while depriving him of utterance, he took out his pen-knife, and opening it, vehemently ſwore, with this very pen-knife, by G—d, will I cut off his ears.
- 1822 May 29, [Walter Scott], chapter III, in The Fortunes of Nigel. , volume III, Edinburgh: [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 85:
- […] having made a cross cut, so as to ascertain the depth of the fat upon the chest, exclaimed, in a sort of rapture, “Three inches of white fat on the brisket!—prime—prime, as I am a crowded sinner—and de’il ane o’ the lazy loons in but mysell! Seven—aught—aught tines on the antlers. By G—d, a hart of aught tines, and the first of the season! […]”
- 1978 May 29, Adam L. Gruen, “Fantasy Game Design”, in Thomas Philip Gould, editor, Lilaf, number 9, New York, N.Y.: FWS Publications, page 3:
- The designer, in essence, is G-d--it is s/he who creates the geography of the world (It took me six months to design the world for Lords and Wizards ((Adam's fantasy boardgame, published by Fantasy Games Unlimited-tpg))...guess I'm a slow worker, because it took you-know-how six days.).
Usage notes
- (Judaism): Deuteronomy 12:3–4 states “ye shall destroy name out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God.” Rabbis deduced from this that it was forbidden to erase the name of God from a written document. Since any paper upon which God’s name was written might be discarded and thus “erased”, the rabbis forbade explicitly writing the name of God, except in Holy Books, with provisions for the proper disposal of such books.
Translations
deliberately incomplete spelling of God