Knock on wood

[wviperw]

What does this phrase mean? I've heard it sporadically all my life, but have never really been able to decipher the context in which it is used. I just Google'd it, but the pages I found were mostly on its origin, hinting that it has something to do with luck. I don't want the origin of the idiom, I just want to know how it is used today. (an example might be nice)

 

[Kalvin00]

I haven't had any problems with xxx (knock on wood)


Meaning that the majority of people say they have had no problems.

 

[toekramp]

it's so you don't jinx yourself

i never get speeding tickets...knock on wood

(or you'd get a speeding ticket 🙂)

 

[wviperw]

So you're saying in this example it would mean "of course, I'm in the majority, so that isn't really saying much"?

 

[esun]

Basically what the previous posters said. Here's a more formal meaning:

Knock on wood
The phrase voiced by people who rap their knuckles on a piece of wood hoping for good luck. 'touch wood' is the phrase used in the UK. May be the association that wood and trees have with good spirits in mythology, or with the christian cross.

 

[BooGiMaN]

it came from an old belief that you evil spirits resided in the wood that would hear your plans and would cause you harm or foul your plans...

by knocking on the wood you made them not be able to hear what you talked about..therefore they wouldnt jinx your plans.

 

[toekramp]

no no

i say, "wviperw, i never get sick, knock on wood" because now that I have said that I never get sick i'm just setting myself up to get sick... by saying "Knock On Wood" you kind of offset the bold statement you used before 🙂 (now you shouldn't get sick)

 

[sniperruff]

somehow i started thinking something that is not related to wood...

 

[wviperw]

What an incredibly silly and utterly useless idiom.