“Forfend” is closely related to the similar-looking word “defend.” Both come from the Middle English word “fenden,” meaning “to protect.” “Forfend” has a connotation of preventing attacks, while “defend” has a connotation of actions taken while under attack. The idiom “heaven forfend,” sometimes heard as “heaven forbid,” is often said in a joking manner about something that shouldn’t or wouldn’t happen. For example, “Heaven forfend that the Wi-Fi goes down for 10 minutes,” or “Heaven forfend we actually cook dinner on a Friday night instead of ordering takeout.”