Where does the phrase 'touch wood' come from?
Neil Crowfoot, Crystal Palace UK
- It derives from the pagan belief that malevolent spirits inhabited wood, and that if you expressed a hope for the future you should touch, or knock on, wood to prevent the spirits from hearing and presumably preventing your hopes from coming true.
Hugh Morrison, London UK
- From touching the wood of the cross.
Jeremy, Alumim Israel
- I've been informed it's actually "Touch wood and whistle" in full, i.e. touch a bit of wood, then a quick audible whistle. Still don't know where it's from though.
Spratt, Lewisham UK
- The term Touch Wood actually comes from the 18th Century Auction House/ Barns. If you placed a bid on live stock or an item you would hope that the auctioner would "touch wood" at your bid. When the auctioner touched wood you would have won that lot. Hence the saying " I hope I win "Touch Wood" If you did win the auctioneers hammer "gavel" which is made of wood would also fall and hit the block. Touch Wood is a winning phrase.
Millie Richardson, Penpinelli, Gwent, Wales
- It comes from the lumberjacks in wooded areas who would "hug" a tree for a safe felling of the tree. Explaining the phrase "touch wood" (the clever woman on channel4's countdown explained this on an episode once.)
kim, dumfries scotland
- Sailors would tap their foot on the deck of the ship
Michaela, Bath UK
- Perhaps a term used by coal miners? They would knock on each wooden roof support, as they passed it, to test that it was not rotten.
Chris, Erith, UK
