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:
“...A shadow now occasionally crossed my simple, sanguine, and life enjoying mind, a notion that I was never really going to accomplish those powerful literary works which would blow a noble trumpet to social generosity and noblesse oblige before the world. What? should I find myself always planning and never achieving ... a richly complicated and yet firmly unified novel?”
—Sarah N. Cleghorn (1876–1959)
“Calmed by my pleading,
she continued to list your crimes,
found that ten fingers weren’t enough
and cried for a long time.”
—Hla Stavhana (c. 50 A.D.)