Cross my fingers

Posted by ESC on December 07, 2005

In Reply to: Cross my fingers posted by Smokey Stover on December 06, 2005

: : : What **cross my fingers** means
: : : Thank you in advance

: : Cross my fingers refers to actually crossing your fingers, usually the middle finger over the index finger.
: : Crossing your fingers can have several meanings depending on context, most dealing with superstitions or children's games.
: : You can cross your fingers to bring good luck. I'll keep my fingers crossed so everything will turn out okay
: : You can cross your fingers when saying something so that it "doesn't count." I said it, but I had my fingers crossed behind my back so it doesn't count."
: : Some tag-type games you can cross your fingers to be "safe" aka king's X.

: Very nice picture and completely accurate. I think that crossing one's fingers so that what you say doesn't count can also be explained as a way of lying, since you don't tell the other person your fingers are crossed. You cross them behind your back, usually. Am I telling you the truth? Cross my heart and hope to die. SS

KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED -- From Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings by Gregory Y. Titelman: "Hope for success. The saying derives from the superstition that bad luck may be averted by making the sign of the cross. Originated in the 1920s."