cross one's fingers

Etymology

 * As a gesture of good luck, from the Christian notion of inconspicuously making a as an invocation to God.
 * As a gesture of lying, probably from the Schwurhand, a gesture used in some European countries when taking an oath. The right hand is raised with the index and middle fingers extended upwards (somewhat similarly to a V sign but with the thumb on the side). By crossing the two fingers, the oath is thus symbolically broken.

Verb

 * 1) To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:
 * 2) when wishing for luck, or
 * 3) when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie).
 * 1) when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie).
 * 1) when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie).
 * 1) when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie).
 * 1) when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie).
 * 1) when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie).

Translations

 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin: 交叉手指
 * Finnish: ristiä sormensa
 * French:
 * German: die Finger kreuzen
 * Italian: incrociare le dita
 * Polish: krzyżować palce, skrzyżować palce
 * Portuguese: cruzar os dedos
 * Russian:
 * Spanish: cruzar los dedos
 * Swedish: hålla fingrarna i kors, korsa fingrarna, sätta fingrarna i kors


 * Belarusian: трыма́ць кула́кі
 * Bulgarian: стискам палци
 * Catalan: encreuar els dits, creuar els dits
 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin:, 祈求好運
 * Czech:
 * Dutch:
 * Finnish: pitää peukkua
 * French: ,
 * German: Daumen drücken
 * Greek: κάνω τον σταυρό μου
 * Italian: incrociare le dita
 * Japanese: 幸運を祈る
 * Korean: 행운을 빌다
 * Polish:
 * Portuguese: cruzar os dedos
 * Russian: наде́яться на уда́чу
 * Spanish: cruzar los dedos
 * Swedish:


 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin: 說一個善意的謊言
 * Finnish: kertoa valkoinen valhe
 * French:
 * German: die Finger kreuzen
 * Portuguese: cruzar os dedos
 * Russian: врать скрести́в па́льцы
 * Spanish:
 * Swedish: korsa fingrarna, lägga fingrarna i kors, hålla fingrarna i kors, hålla kors