knock on wood

Etymology
From a folk practice of unclear origin.

Verb

 * 1)  To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.

Translations

 * Bulgarian: чукам на дърво
 * Catalan: ,
 * Danish: banke under bordet
 * Dutch:, hout vasthouden
 * Estonian: vastu puud koputama
 * Finnish: koputtaa puuta
 * French:
 * German:
 * Greek: χτύπα ξύλο
 * Hungarian:
 * Indonesian: amit-amit
 * Italian: toccare ferro
 * Norwegian: banke i bordet
 * Persian: زدن به تخته
 * Polish:
 * Portuguese: bater na madeira
 * Romanian: bate în lemn
 * Russian: постуча́ть по де́реву, сплю́нуть че́рез ле́вое плечо́
 * Serbo-Croatian:
 * Cyrillic: ку̏цнути у др̏во
 * Roman: kȕcnuti u dȑvo
 * Spanish: tocar madera
 * Swedish:

Interjection

 * 1)  Hopefully;

Usage notes

 * The expression is used superstitiously to avert the possibility that something just mentioned (if bad) might not occur, or (if it is a good thing) might occur. The action may or may not be performed, depending on how literally the speaker adheres to the superstition. If it is taken literally, it is usual to attempt physically to touch some wooden object whilst, or shortly after, exclaiming knock on wood. Failure to find and touch a wooden item within a short time may be considered ominous, and cause mental distress to the person involved.

Translations

 * Arabic: أَمْسِكْ الْخَشَبَ, دُقَّ عَالْخَشَبَ
 * Catalan: toca fusta, toca ferro
 * Cebuano: simbako
 * Chinese:
 * Cantonese:, 大吉利是
 * Danish: 7-9-13
 * Finnish: koputa puuta
 * French: touchons du bois
 * German: (dreimal)
 * Greek: χτύπα ξύλο
 * Hungarian: lekopogom
 * Indonesian: amit-amit
 * Italian: tocca ferro, tocchiamo ferro
 * Japanese: 桑原桑原
 * Malay: choi
 * Norwegian Nynorsk: bank i bordet, tvi tvi
 * Persian: بزن به تخته, چشم بد دور
 * Russian: тьфу-тьфу-тьфу, тьфу-тьфу
 * Spanish: toca madera
 * Swedish:, peppar peppar
 * Turkish: tahtaya vur