Where Did the Expression “Knock on Wood” Come From and What Does it Mean?

Knock on wood, are used to express a desire to avoid "tempting fate" after making some boast or speaking of one's own death. The derivation may be the association that wood and trees have with good spirits in mythology, or with the Christian cross. It used to be considered good luck to tap trees to let the wood spirits within know you were there.

Traditions of this sort still persist in Ireland.

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