What does the phrase " knock on wood " mean?

Question

What does the phrase " knock on wood " mean?

Answer 1

it means that "u should know that"

Answer 2

Knocking on wood, and the spoken expression "knock on wood" or "touch wood" are used to avoid "tempting fate" after making some boast or speaking of one's own death.

The expression is usually used in the hope that a good thing will continue to occur after it has been acknowledged. So, for example, one might say: "The rain looks like it's holding off, touch wood", or "Knock on wood, I'm much better now."

Answer 3

You knock on wood as a type of luck. Well, actually it's more of a way of warding off bad luck.

"It'd be my luck that I'll wreck my car tomorrow, not really, knock on wood."

Answer 4

It means "Let it be so." or "I agree."

Answer 5

Evil is supposed to reside in trees. Therefore ancient belief claims you have to knock on wood three times to make it stay there and not get out of wood. From then on superstitions claim every time a person says something bad you have to knock on wood so that the bad thing doesn`t happen. It`s the same if something bad crosses your mind.

if it`s just a saying it`s got a synonym- God forbid!

Answer 6

It is also known as "touch wood" Means to touch something wooden supposedly to avert bad luck. It is used as an exclamation accompanying a sentence. eg:

Good health at the time of race, knock on wood.

Answer 7

It's like if you say, "I'm having great luck!", you say, and do, Knock on wood so you don't jinx yourself.

Answer 8

http://ask.yahoo.com/20040504.html      it is always about luck. the link above will give delails.

Answer 9

It is usually said when a curse has been uttered.

It means "i hope it'll not come back to me"

Answer 10

neither of u r right...knock on wood means your trying to avoid bad luck. so if u say somthing like "i never get hit by a car" and then knocks on wood it means ur trying to drive the bad forces away that would make it so that u would get hit by a car. does that make any sense at all?

Answer 11

it means that a person was lucky

Answer 12

Knocking on wood, and the spoken expression "knock on wood" or "touch wood" are used to avoid "tempting fate" after making some boast or speaking of one's own death.

The expression is usually used in the hope that a good thing will continue to occur after it has been acknowledged. So, for example, one might say: "The rain looks like it's holding off, touch wood", or "Knock on wood, I'm much better now."

so says wiki.  :]