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Knock on wood

Knock on wood

Meaning

Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid bad luck or to continue having good luck.

Examples

I have never broken a bone – touch wood.

Where did it originate?

USA, early 20th century. Other variants, like ‘touch wood’ are earlier.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Knock on wood

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