Knocking on wood
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Knocking on wood, and the spoken expression "knock on wood" or "touch wood" are used as a charm to bring good luck or to avoid "tempting fate" after making some boast or similar statement.
It is commonly thought that knocking on wood has been a superstitious action to ward off evil throughout history. Some believe it has to do with knocking on the wooden cross. Another explanation for this practice is the pagan belief that spirits (dryads) lived in trees. By knocking on the wood of a tree while making some sort of a bold statement, the speaker could prevent the spirit from hearing him and stop the spirit from interfering.
However, there is no evidence for such theories, and the superstition has not been traced beyond children's games of tag of the early nineteenth century.
According to Steve Roud, the earliest documented references to "touching wood" are from 1805 and 1828 and concern chasing games like "Tiggy-touch-wood", where you are safe from being "tagged" if you "touch wood". Says Roud, "Tiggy-touch-wood" was an extremely well-known game, and it is most likely that the phrase passed into everyday language."
The expression is usually used in the hope that a good thing will continue to occur after it has been acknowledged. So, for example, one might say: "The rain looks like holding off, touch wood", or "Touch wood, I'm much better now."
In the movie Casablanca, Dooley Wilson sings a song, "Knock on Wood".
References
Roud, Steve (2004). A Pocket Guide to Superstitions of the British Isles. London: Penguin. ISBN 0140515496.See also
- List of idioms in the English language
- Knock on Wood, film
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