Heav"en , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Heavened (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Heavening.]
To place in happiness or bliss, as if in heaven; to
beatify. [R.]
We are happy as the
bird whose nest
Is heavened in the hush of purple hills.
G. Massey.
Heav"en (h&ebreve;v"'n), n. [OE.
heven, hefen, heofen, AS.
heofon; akin to OS. hevan, LG. heben,
heven, Icel. hifinn; of uncertain origin, cf. D. hemel, G. himmel, Icel.
himmin, Goth. himins; perh. akin to, or
influenced by, the root of E. heave, or from a root
signifying to cover, cf.
Goth. gahamōn to put on, clothe one's
self, G. hemd shirt, and perh. E. chemise.]
1. The expanse of space surrounding the earth; esp., that which seems to be over the earth like a great
arch or dome; the firmament; the sky; the place where the sun, moon,
and stars appear; -- often used in the plural in
this sense.
I never saw the heavens so dim by day.
Shak. When my eyes shall be turned to behold for
the last time the sun
in heaven.
D. Webster.
2. The dwelling place of the Deity;
the abode of bliss; the
place or state of the
blessed after death.
Unto the God
of love, high heaven's King.
Spenser. It is a knell
That summons thee to heaven or to hell.
Shak. New thoughts of God, new
hopes of Heaven.
Keble. &fist; In this
general sense heaven and its corresponding words in other languages have as various definite
interpretations as there are phases of religious belief.
3. The sovereign of heaven; God; also, the assembly of the blessed, collectively; -- used variously in this sense, as in No.
2.
Her prayers, whom Heaven delights to hear.
Shak. The will
And high permission of all-ruling
Heaven.
Milton.
4. Any place of supreme happiness or great comfort; perfect felicity; bliss; a sublime or
exalted condition; as, a heaven of delight. "A heaven of beauty." Shak. "The
brightest heaven of invention." Shak.
O bed! bed! delicious bed!
That heaven upon earth to
the weary head!
Hood. &fist; Heaven is very often used, esp. with participles, in forming compound words, most of which
need no special explanation; as, heaven-appeasing, heaven-aspiring, heaven- begot, heaven-born, heaven-bred, heaven- conducted, heaven-descended, heaven-directed, heaven-exalted, heaven-given, heaven-guided, heaven-inflicted, heaven-inspired, heaven- instructed, heaven-kissing, heaven-loved, heaven-moving, heaven-protected, heaven-taught, heaven-warring, and the like.
Hear it pronounced