keep (one's) fingers crossed

To hope for good luck or that something will happen. The actual gesture, which does not have to accompany the phrase, involves crossing one's middle finger over the index finger as a superstition believed to bring good luck or ward off bad luck. Cross your fingers that this is the package we've been waiting for. OK, I've been crossing my fingers—did you get the job?

to wish for luck for someone or something, sometimes by actually crossing one's fingers; to hope for a good outcome for someone or something. I hope you win the race Saturday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. I'm trying out for a play. Keep your fingers crossed!

COMMON If you keep your fingers crossed or cross your fingers, you hope for luck or success in something. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well. We all cross our fingers and hope it never happens. But if long-term illness struck tomorrow, could you keep paying the bills? Note: People say fingers crossed when they are wishing someone good luck or hoping for good luck for themselves. We don't have tickets but we're going anyway. Fingers crossed we'll be able to get in. Note: People sometimes actually cross their middle finger over their index finger when they use this expression or are wishing someone good luck. In the past, people believed that making the sign of the cross in this way was a way of protecting themselves from the devil or bad luck.