| 单词 | knock on wood |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto knock (on) wood chiefly North American. to knock (on) wood: to knock on something made of wood, as a superstitious action to ward off misfortune or bad luck. Hence knock on wood: used as a verbal gambit after an assertion that is considered to invite bad luck or tempt fate in some way. Cf. to touch wood at touch v. Phrases 2f. ΚΠ 1907 G. W. Know Devel. Relig. Japan i. 43 Primitive religious consciousness, producing particular rites, remains in boys who knock wood, and in adults who are uneasy if they see the moon over the left shoulder. 1914 L. Woolf Wise Virgins ii. 30 I'm very lucky myself—knock on wood. 1936 Crisis Apr. 114/3 Customs..dictated by fear, like knocking on wood,..the number 13, black cats, fortune tellers, card-readers, mascots, etc. 1942 P. Sturges in Four More Screenplays (1995) 537 The next morning she can't remember who she married or where it happened. She knocks wood, hopes for the best and goes to work. 2004 S. Grafton R is for Ricochet (2005) i. 6 Since then, the occupants have fared poorly..except me, knock on wood. knock on wood chiefly North American. to knock (on) wood: to knock on something made of wood, as a superstitious action to ward off misfortune or bad luck. Hence knock on wood: used as a verbal gambit after an assertion that is considered to invite bad luck or tempt fate in some way. Cf. to touch wood at touch v. Phrases 2f. ΚΠ 1907 G. W. Know Devel. Relig. Japan i. 43 Primitive religious consciousness, producing particular rites, remains in boys who knock wood, and in adults who are uneasy if they see the moon over the left shoulder. 1914 L. Woolf Wise Virgins ii. 30 I'm very lucky myself—knock on wood. 1936 Crisis Apr. 114/3 Customs..dictated by fear, like knocking on wood,..the number 13, black cats, fortune tellers, card-readers, mascots, etc. 1942 P. Sturges in Four More Screenplays (1995) 537 The next morning she can't remember who she married or where it happened. She knocks wood, hopes for the best and goes to work. 2004 S. Grafton R is for Ricochet (2005) i. 6 Since then, the occupants have fared poorly..except me, knock on wood. < as lemmas |
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