- A superstitious phrase and accompanying action (touching or tapping on wood) used after mentioning good fortune or expressing a hope for the future.
- The purpose is supposedly to ward off bad luck or prevent tempting fate by acknowledging good fortune too openly.
Explanation
Origin
- Ancient pagan beliefs, possibly Celtic or Germanic, that spirits or deities resided in trees (wood).
- Touching wood might have been done to invoke protection from these spirits, express gratitude, or prevent mischievous spirits from hearing a boast and reversing the good fortune.
- It evolved into a widespread superstition.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
(Alternatives express hope or caution, not the specific superstition)
Slang/Informal:
- Fingers crossed 🤞
- Here's hoping
- Hopefully
Vulgar/Emphatic (Expressing strong hope or anxiety about outcome):
- Fuck, I hope this lasts.
- Please god, don't let this screw up now.
Milder/Standard:
- Let's hope it continues.
- Hopefully, that will be the case.
- With any luck.
Situational Appropriateness
- Mostly informal due to its superstitious nature.
- It's very common in everyday conversation but might seem out of place in highly formal, rational, or scientific discussions. However, many people use it habitually even in professional settings.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Learners might not understand the superstitious function and could be confused about the relevance of wood or the action of tapping. The cultural context of superstition is key.
Examples
- I've been healthy all year, touch wood. (Said while tapping a wooden table)
- Hopefully, we'll get the contract, knock on wood.
- The journey's been smooth so far, knock on wood.
Dialogue
Person A: It looks like the weather is going to hold for the picnic on Saturday.
Person B: Oh, I hope so! It's been raining all week.
Person A: Yeah, forecasts look clear now, touch wood. (Taps wooden chair)
Person B: (Nods) Fingers crossed.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Submitted my final thesis! Feeling relieved. Hopefully, the defense goes smoothly next week, knock on wood! 🤞 #PhDLife #AcademicTwitter
- Facebook Post: Our winning streak continues! Five games unbeaten, touch wood! Let's keep it going! #Football #TeamSpirit
- Instagram Story: Finally got my internet connection stable... knock on wood! 🙏 Please stay this way!
Response Patterns
- Often no direct verbal response is expected or necessary.
- The listener might nod in acknowledgement or even tap wood themselves.
- Sometimes followed by agreement or shared hope: Yes, let's hope so. / Fingers crossed.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
- The speaker (or listener) performs the physical action of tapping wood.
- The conversation typically moves on immediately after the phrase is uttered.
- Someone might playfully ask Is that real wood? if the object tapped is questionable.
Conversation Starter
- No. It's an interjection added to a statement about current good fortune or future hope.
Intonation
- Often said quickly as an aside, sometimes muttered.
- Slight emphasis on wood.
- Frequently accompanied by the physical action of rapping knuckles on a wooden surface.
- Everything's going well so far, KNOCK on WOOD.
Generation Differences
- Used across all generations. Perhaps felt more strongly as a superstition by older generations, but the habit persists widely.
Regional Variations
- Knock on wood is predominantly used in North America (US, Canada).
- Touch wood is predominantly used in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India.
- Both forms are generally understood in all regions thanks to media exposure.