keep your fingers crossed


keep (one's) fingers crossed

To hope for good luck or that something will happen. The actual gesture, which does not have to accompany the phrase, involves crossing one's middle finger over the index finger as a superstition believed to bring good luck or ward off bad luck. Cross your fingers that this is the package we've been waiting for. OK, I've been crossing my fingers—did you get the job?See also: crosse, finger, keep

keep your fingers crossed

or

cross your fingers

COMMON If you keep your fingers crossed or cross your fingers, you hope for luck or success in something. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well. We all cross our fingers and hope it never happens. But if long-term illness struck tomorrow, could you keep paying the bills? Note: People say fingers crossed when they are wishing someone good luck or hoping for good luck for themselves. We don't have tickets but we're going anyway. Fingers crossed we'll be able to get in. Note: People sometimes actually cross their middle finger over their index finger when they use this expression or are wishing someone good luck. In the past, people believed that making the sign of the cross in this way was a way of protecting themselves from the devil or bad luck. See also: crosse, finger, keep

have/keep your ˈfingers crossed

,

cross your ˈfingers

(informal) hope that something will be successful; wish somebody good luck: I’m going to give my first lecture tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed for me, won’t you? ♢ Good luck, Ingrid. Fingers crossed!People often cross the first two fingers of one hand when they use this expression.See also: crosse, finger, have, keep