In many cultures, it’s a common superstition for people to knock their knuckles on a piece of wood to bring themselves good fortune or ward off bad luck. … One common explanation traces the phenomenon to ancient pagan cultures such as the Celts, who believed that spirits and gods resided in trees.
Is knock on wood a metaphor?
The phrase originated based on a superstition that knocking or touching wood will ward off evil spirits. Wood and trees have an association with good spirits in mythology. … Whenever the druids said something about good or bad fortune, they’d knock on the wood to perk up the spirits to work in their favor.
Is touch wood an idiom?
said in order to prevent a confident statement from bringing bad luck. The phrase refers to the traditional custom of touching something wooden to avert possible bad luck. …
What is the idiom touch wood?
You can say ‘ touch wood’ in British English, or ‘ knock on wood’ in American English, to indicate that you hope to have good luck in something you are doing, usually after saying that you have been lucky with it so far.
What does Touchwood mean in India?
While there is no strong evidence as to why this belief has become so rampant, many fables and lores indicate that by touching the wood, you are actually touching the wood of the Holy Cross, which may bring good luck and help you seek protection of God.
What is the figurative meaning of knock on wood?
US informal (UK touch wood) said in order to avoid bad luck, either when you mention good luck that you have had in the past or when you mention hopes you have for the future: The deal will be agreed on Wednesday, knock on wood.
When did knocking on wood become a thing?
The Oxford English Dictionary traces the phrase “touch wood” only back to the early 19th century, locating its origins in a British children’s tag game called Tiggy-touch-wood, in which children could make themselves “exempt…from capture touching wood.”
Where does the expression knock wood come from?
Narrator: Have you ever knocked on wood for good luck? This superstition stems from an old Pagan belief that spirits live in trees, and if you knocked on the tree, you were seeking the help from the good spirits, or making sure the bad spirits couldn’t hear you, and cause you harm.
What does the term knock on mean?
If there is a knock-on effect, one action or event causes several other events to happen one after the other.
Is knocking on wood Irish?
There is an Irish belief that you `knock on wood’ to let the leprechauns know that you are thanking them for a bit of good luck. A Jewish version says it originated during the Spanish Inquisition as temples and synagogues were built of wood they used code to use in knocking on doors to gain admission.
How do you use knock on wood?
The phrase ‘Knock on Wood’ is used when you are claiming that you’ve avoided misfortune and you want your lucky streak to continue. Example of Use: “I barely avoided being involved in that 20 car pileup, knock on wood!”
What does knock on wood mean slang?
Some people say, “Knock on wood,” and then knock on something made of wood for good luck, when they have made a remark that has been true up to that point and they want it to continue to be true: “I’ve never had an accident yet, knock on wood.”
Why do we touch your head when we say Touchwood?
To tempt fate means to talk about something too confidently and invite bad luck. If there is no wood around a British person will tap their head instead! This is done as a joke. If a person had a wooden head they would not be very clever.
What is the meaning of the idiom knows the ropes?
phrase. If you know the ropes, you know how a particular job or task should be done.
What does knock on effect mean?
British. : something (such as a process, action, or event) that causes other things to happen The drought is likely to have a knock-on effect throughout the whole economy.
What’s the meaning of the word rapporteur?
: a person who gives reports (as at a meeting of a learned society)
Why do we use Touchwood?
This expression is said in order to avoid bad luck, either when you mention good luck that you have had in the past or when you mention hopes you have for the future. The expression is usually used in the hope that a good thing will continue to occur after it has been acknowledged.
What does it mean when you say God forbid?
—used in speech to say that one hopes a bad thing will not happen This is the number you should call if, God forbid, you should get into an accident. Heaven forbid that something bad should happen.
What is knock on on my phone?
With Knock ON you can set the phone to turn the screen on by quickly double-tapping the screen. Knock Code is a security feature that enables a user to unlock the phone when the screen is off. … The Home screen can be accessed directly if you tap the sequence anywhere on the screen.
What does knocking at the door mean?
to be likely to happen soon, or to be starting to happen. Mike was in terrible trouble but it wasn’t long before help was knocking at his door.