knock on wood
(idiomatic, US, Philippines) To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.
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(idiomatic, US, Philippines) To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.
“knock on wood but I’m surprised I haven’t gotten suspended for posting the navy seal copypasta”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
(idiomatic, US, Philippines) Hopefully.
I do a lot of walking, and I have never had any knee problems yet, knock on wood.
“*knock on wood* but i'm happy so far”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Semantically related
- touch wood74%
(UK, Irish, Commonwealth) To make contact with wood to avert bad luck, in accordance with a folk practice.
- touch wood73%
(idiomatic, UK, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India) Hopefully; said while touching something wooden, to avert superstitious bad luck from what has just been said.
- knock66%
A sharp impact.
- knock66%
(figuratively, informal) A criticism.