verb phrase🎓 English idiom

keep your fingers crossed

to hope for good luck

What it means

To keep your fingers crossed means to hope for good luck or a positive outcome. It's commonly said while waiting for results or news that you can't control but badly want to go your way.

Examples

  • I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the interview goes well.
  • Keep your fingers crossed for sunny weather on the wedding day.
  • We've done all we can; now we just keep our fingers crossed.
  • She crossed her fingers as the lottery numbers were read out.

Where it comes from

The gesture of crossing fingers likely has Christian roots, with the cross symbolising protection and the invoking of good fortune; the verbal phrase became common in the 20th century.

Related idioms

#break a leg#keep your chin up#sit tight#pull yourself together

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