touch wood
Jinx prevention gesture
Touch wood is a phrase spoken after mentioning good fortune or expressing hope, meant to ward off bad luck—as if literally touching wood would prevent jinxing oneself: I've never had a serious accident, touch wood.
The American equivalent is knock on wood.
Often accompanied by actually tapping a wooden surface.
Strike-produced sound
- jinxCurse bringing misfortune
- luckChance affecting outcomes
- curseInvoked harm through words
- tempt fateRecklessly invite misfortune
bad luck · omen · charm · hex · blessing · fortune · amulet · talisman
Strike-produced sound
- tapValve controlling liquid flow
- rapQuick sharp blow
- knuckleFinger-to-hand joint
- fingersAppendages of the hand
table · desk · doorframe · panel · surface · hand · fist · palm
Of the United Kingdom
- phraseWords forming partial meaning
- sayingShort, wise expression
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- customHabitual group practice
ritual · folk belief · ancestral · cultural · old wives' tale · spoken · verbal · invocation
knock
Strike-produced sound
tempt fate · bad luck · omen · charm · hex · blessing · fortune · amulet · talisman · taboo
knock
Strike-produced sound
fingers · table · desk · doorframe · panel · surface · hand · fist · palm · physical
British
Of the United Kingdom
- phraseWords forming partial meaning
- sayingShort, wise expression
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
custom · ritual · folk belief · ancestral · cultural · old wives' tale · spoken · verbal · invocation · utterance
- luckgood luck, bad luck, lucky, luckily, pure luck
- lucky charmslucky horseshoe, rabbit foot, lucky coin, four leaf clover, good luck charm
- superstitionssuperstition, superstitions, hexes, black cats, broken mirror
- well-wishesgood luck, best wishes, take care, wishing you well, warm regards
- wishful thinkingif only, what if, one day, fingers crossed, with any luck
- well wishesget well soon, feel better, bless you, take care, speedy recovery
touch woodtempt fate
Recklessly invite misfortune
ask for trouble · push one's luck · speak too soon · count one's chickens · push your luck
touch woodtempt fate
Recklessly invite misfortune
hubris · overconfidence · presumption · boast · crow
touch, wood, touching, touched, touchy, untouched, touches, untouchable, touchable