fingers crossed

fingers crossed
or, crossed fingers

The gesture is referred to by the common expressions “cross your fingers”, “keep your fingers crossed”, or just “fingers crossed”.

Meaning | Synonyms

• a gesture of crossed fingers used to express good luck
• to expect that something will happen in good way as desired
• hope that things will happen in the way you want them to
• used to express the hope of something desired will happen

Example Sentences

1. Good luck with your test tomorrow, I'll have my fingers crossed.
2. I'm keep my fingers crossed that my husband clears the written interview this Monday to join British Intelligence Bureau.
3. Fingers crossed that my brother Jack will get a promotion soon.
4. I have been trying to call her on phone since last week – fingers crossed that I will be able to hear her today.
5. Airline companies keep fingers crossed as it's the only transportation option left since several landslides has blocked all the roads on entire mountain range.

Origin

The act of crossing one's fingers dates back to before Christianity. The earliest use of the gesture had two people crossing their index fingers in order to form a cross. The pagans believed that a cross was a symbol of good luck. They believed in “sacred geometry” and believed that benevolent spirits resided in the intersections of crosses. Therefore, once two people made a cross they could make a wish and the spirits would favour them.

It is also believed that in the early days of Christianity people used it to signal their belief to others. They were persecuted for being Christian and this was their way of acknowledging each other. The would each form an L with their thumb and index finger and when placed together it would form a cross.

With time the gesture evolved to one person being able to do it by themselves. It is rumoured to have evolved in the 14^th century during the war, when soldiers needed luck and were unable to cross fingers with another soldier.

These days people don't always perform the gesture but simply use the phrase “fingers crossed.”