"Knock on Wood"

[MariaM]

I've never understood what this meant, can somebody explain it to me, maybe with some examples? It frustrates me every time I hear it lol.

[kimboe]

Knock on wood
Meaning

The phrase voiced by people who rap their knuckles on a piece of wood hoping for good luck. In the UK the phrase 'touch wood' is used.

Origin

May be the association that wood and trees have with good spirits in mythology, or with the Christian cross.

Here's the site, it has a wide arrange of quotes with the origin
Meanings and Origins of Phrases, Sayings, Idioms and Quotes
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/index.html

[lv4dogs]

Here's the site, it has a wide arrange of quotes with the origin
Meanings and Origins of Phrases, Sayings, Idioms and Quotes
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/index.html

Thanks for the link, thats a great site!

[Edwina's Secretary]

It is a superstition. You "knock on wood" that what you just said doesn't really happen. Example....if you were to say..."I'll probably get into an accident on the way home"....you then "knock on wood" that it doesn't happen. When no wood is immediately available I always knock on my head.....

[joanofark]

When no wood is immediately available I always knock on my head.....

Haha, me too!!

I use "knock on wood" ALL THE TIME!!