Phrase guide

on a wing and a prayer

prep_phrase · 1 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

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

With the hope of averting disaster despite a desperate situation teetering on failure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • After seeing half the senior staff walk out, the school opened the new year on a wing and a prayer.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Describes a damaged warplane barely able to return to base, possibly originating in the film Flying Tigers (1942) in which the dialog refers to a flight as “coming in on one wing and a prayer”, made popular by the World War II song “Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer” with lyrics by Harold Adamson.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Russian: на че́стном сло́ве и на одно́м крыле́ (na čéstnom slóve i na odnóm krylé) — with the hope of averting disaster despite a desperate situation teetering on failure