Crossed Fingers
To cross one's fingers is a hand gesture commonly used to wish for good luck, with roots in Christian prayers for protection by invoking the shape of the cross. The gesture is referred to by the common expression "keeping one's fingers crossed" or just "fingers crossed," meaning "let's hope for a good outcome". The gesture has also been historically used in order to allow believers to recognize one another during times of persecution.
Some people, mostly children, also use the gesture to excuse their telling of a white lie. This may have its roots in the belief that the power of the Christian cross might save one from being sent to hell for telling a lie.
This gesture is also used to express two people being close friends with the accompanying phrase, "They are like this".
Read more about Crossed Fingers: Origin, Anecdotal Use
Famous quotes containing the words crossed and/or fingers:
“We crossed a deep and wide bay which makes eastward north of Kineo, leaving an island on our left, and keeping to the eastern side of the lake. This way or that led to some Tomhegan or Socatarian stream, up which the Indian had hunted, and whither I longed to go. The last name, however, had a bogus sound, too much like sectarian for me, as if a missionary had tampered with it; but I knew that the Indians were very liberal. I think I should have inclined to the Tomhegan first.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“For the baby suckles and there is a people made of milk for her to use. There are milk trees to hiss her on. There are milk beds in which to lie and dream of a warm room. There are milk fingers to fold and unfold. There are milk bottoms that are wet and caressed and put into their cotton.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)