Phrase guide

knock on wood

intj · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌnɒk ɒn ˈwʊd/
  • General-American: /ˌnɑk ɑn ˈwʊd/
  • General-American: [ˌnäk än ˈwʊd]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˌnɑk ɔn ˈwʊd/ Southern US, Midland US
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

intj

Meaning 1

Hopefully; a self-directive to undertake the customary action to ward off bad luck.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Philippines, US, idiomatic

Examples

  • I do a lot of walking, and I have never had any knee problems yet, knock on wood.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: touch wood

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Philippines, US, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: touch wood

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From a folk practice of unclear origin.

Across languages

Translations

47 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: göz dəyməsin — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Catalan: toca fusta — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Catalan: toca ferro — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Cebuano: simbako — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Chinese Cantonese: 大吉利市 — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Danish: 7-9-13 — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Finnish: koputa puuta — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • French: touchons du bois — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • German: (dreimal) auf Holz klopfen — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Hebrew: טפו טפו טפו (tfu tfu tfu) — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Hebrew: טפו טפו (tfu tfu) — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Hebrew: חמסה חמסה חמסה (khámsa khámsa khámsa) — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Hebrew: חמסה חמסה (khámsa khámsa) — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Hungarian: lekopogom — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Indonesian: amit-amit — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Italian: tocca ferro — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Italian: tocchiamo ferro — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Malay: choi — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: bank i bordet — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: tvi tvi — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Polish: odpukać — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Russian: тьфу-тьфу-тьфу (tʹfu-tʹfu-tʹfu) — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Russian: тьфу-тьфу (tʹfu-tʹfu) — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Spanish: toca madera — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Swedish: peppar, peppar, ta i trä — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Swedish: peppar peppar — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Turkish: tahtaya vur — hopefully; used when undertaking such a customary action
  • Catalan: tocar fusta — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Catalan: tocar ferro — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Danish: banke under bordet — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Dutch: afkloppen — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Dutch: hout vasthouden — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Estonian: vastu puud koputama — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Finnish: koputtaa puuta — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • French: toucher du bois — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • German: auf Holz klopfen — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Hungarian: lekopog — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Indonesian: amit-amit — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Italian: toccare ferro — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Norwegian: banke i bordet — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Polish: odpukać w niemalowane drewno — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Portuguese: bater na madeira — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Romanian: bate în lemn — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Serbo-Croatian: ку̏цнути у др̏во — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Serbo-Croatian: kȕcnuti u dȑvo — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Spanish: tocar madera — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune
  • Swedish: peppar, peppar, ta i trä — to take a customary action to ward off misfortune