"cross one's fingers" meaning in English

See cross one's fingers in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Forms: crosses one's fingers [present, singular, third-person], crossing one's fingers [participle, present], crossed one's fingers [participle, past], crossed one's fingers [past]
Etymology: * As a gesture of good luck, from the Christian notion of inconspicuously making a sign of the cross as an invocation to God. * As a gesture of lying, probably from the Schwurhand, a gesture used in some European countries when taking an oath. The right hand is raised with the index and middle fingers extended upwards (somewhat similarly to a V sign but with the thumb on the side). By crossing the two fingers, the oath is thus symbolically broken. Etymology templates: {{l|en|Christianity|Christian}} Christian, {{l|en|sign of the cross}} sign of the cross Head templates: {{en-verb|*}} cross one's fingers (third-person singular simple present crosses one's fingers, present participle crossing one's fingers, simple past and past participle crossed one's fingers)
  1. To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:
    when wishing for luck, or     Translations (do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck): трыма́ць кула́кі (trymácʹ kuláki) (Belarusian), стискам палци (stiskam palci) (Bulgarian), encreuar els dits (Catalan), creuar els dits (Catalan), 祈禱 (Chinese Mandarin), 祈祷 (qídǎo) (Chinese Mandarin), 祈求好運 (Chinese Mandarin), 祈求好运 (qíqiú hǎoyùn) (Chinese Mandarin), držet palce (Czech), duimen (Dutch), pitää peukkua (Finnish), croiser les doigts (French), tenir les pouces (French), Daumen drücken (english: put the thumb into the fist and press it) (German), κάνω τον σταυρό μου (káno ton stavró mou) (Greek), incrociare le dita (Italian), 幸運を祈る (kōun o inoru) (alt: こううんをいのる) (Japanese), 행운을 빌다 (haeng'uneul bilda) (Korean), trzymać kciuki (Polish), cruzar os dedos (Portuguese), наде́ятся на уда́чу (nadéjatsja na udáču) (Russian), cruzar los dedos (Spanish), hålla tummarna (english: to hold the thumbs) (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-cross_one's_fingers-en-verb-uf5jgHFx Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English predicates, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English predicates: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of 'do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck': 60 20 20
  2. To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:
    when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie).
    Sense id: en-cross_one's_fingers-en-verb-cnq3aE3q Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English predicates, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English predicates: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 33 33 33
  3. To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:
    Sense id: en-cross_one's_fingers-en-verb-Hzt0WWQz Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English predicates, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English predicates: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 33 33 33
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: cross one's arms, cross one's heart, have one's fingers crossed, keep one's fingers crossed Translations (do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie): 說一個善意的謊言 (english: no exact equivalent exists; “to tell a white lie”) (Chinese Mandarin), 说一个善意的谎言 (shuō yīgè shànyì de huǎngyán) (Chinese Mandarin), kertoa valkoinen valhe (Finnish), croiser les doigts (French), die Finger kreuzen (German), cruzar os dedos (Portuguese), врать скрести́в па́льцы (vratʹ skrestív pálʹcy) (Russian), korsa fingrarna (Swedish), lägga fingrarna i kors (Swedish), hålla fingrarna i kors (Swedish), hålla kors [colloquial] (Swedish) Translations (put the middle finger across the index finger): 交叉手指 (jiāochā shǒuzhǐ) (Chinese Mandarin), ristiä sormensa (Finnish), croiser les doigts (French), die Finger kreuzen (German), incrociare le dita (Italian), krzyżować palce [imperfective] (Polish), skrzyżować palce [perfective] (Polish), cruzar os dedos (Portuguese), скрести́ть па́льцы (skrestítʹ pálʹcy) (Russian), cruzar los dedos (Spanish), hålla fingrarna i kors (Swedish), korsa fingrarna (Swedish), sätta fingrarna i kors (Swedish)
Disambiguation of 'do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie': 33 33 33 Disambiguation of 'put the middle finger across the index finger': 33 33 33

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for cross one's fingers meaning in English (14.3kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Christianity",
        "3": "Christian"
      },
      "expansion": "Christian",
      "name": "l"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sign of the cross"
      },
      "expansion": "sign of the cross",
      "name": "l"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "* As a gesture of good luck, from the Christian notion of inconspicuously making a sign of the cross as an invocation to God.\n* As a gesture of lying, probably from the Schwurhand, a gesture used in some European countries when taking an oath. The right hand is raised with the index and middle fingers extended upwards (somewhat similarly to a V sign but with the thumb on the side). By crossing the two fingers, the oath is thus symbolically broken.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "crosses one's fingers",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "crossing one's fingers",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "crossed one's fingers",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "crossed one's fingers",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "cross one's fingers (third-person singular simple present crosses one's fingers, present participle crossing one's fingers, simple past and past participle crossed one's fingers)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "word": "cross one's arms"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "word": "cross one's heart"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "word": "have one's fingers crossed"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "word": "keep one's fingers crossed"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
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          "_dis": "33 33 33",
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          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
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          "_dis": "33 33 33",
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          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
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            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I hope everything turns out OK. I'll cross my fingers for you. / I'll cross my fingers that everything turns out OK.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Jayne Addison, About That Kiss",
          "text": "“Cross your fingers that the readership loves it.” Joy crossed her fingers.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Bette Greene, Get On Out of Here, Philip Hall",
          "text": "Well, I reckon that all of us Singing Glenways ain't crossing our fingers for you.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, Anne Holt, Tom Geddes, Blind Goddess",
          "text": "With another huge effort he grabbed the bucket hook again, mentally crossing his fingers for the bolts in the thin plywood to hold.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:",
        "when wishing for luck, or"
      ],
      "id": "en-cross_one's_fingers-en-verb-uf5jgHFx",
      "links": [
        [
          "middle finger",
          "middle finger"
        ],
        [
          "index finger",
          "index finger"
        ],
        [
          "luck",
          "luck"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "trymácʹ kuláki",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "трыма́ць кула́кі"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "stiskam palci",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "стискам палци"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "encreuar els dits"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "creuar els dits"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "祈禱"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "qídǎo",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "祈祷"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "祈求好運"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "qíqiú hǎoyùn",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "祈求好运"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "držet palce"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "duimen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "pitää peukkua"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "croiser les doigts"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "tenir les pouces"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "de",
          "english": "put the thumb into the fist and press it",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "Daumen drücken"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "káno ton stavró mou",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "κάνω τον σταυρό μου"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "incrociare le dita"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "alt": "こううんをいのる",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "kōun o inoru",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "幸運を祈る"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "haeng'uneul bilda",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "행운을 빌다"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "trzymać kciuki"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "cruzar os dedos"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "nadéjatsja na udáču",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "наде́ятся на уда́чу"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "cruzar los dedos"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "60 20 20",
          "code": "sv",
          "english": "to hold the thumbs",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
          "word": "hålla tummarna"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
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          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English predicates",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Toni White, Ridge Street Home, page 5",
          "text": "Amanda placed her right hand behind her back and crossed her fingers. Her friend Sarah told her if you cross your fingers behind your back when you tell a lie, it's not a lie. Amanda didn't know if she believed that, but she crossed her fingers anyway.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Carsen Taite, Nothing But the Truth",
          "text": "“You focus your efforts on managing your prosecutors and show up to try that case. I'll handle the rest.” Ryan nodded assent but crossed her fingers behind her back. She would do more than just show up.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014, Millie Criswell, Staying Single",
          "text": "“It's not like I've been having fun,” she lied, crossing her fingers behind her back.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014, Frank Sousa, The Tree of Young Dreamers, page 313",
          "text": "He always tried to make sure there wasn't a mirror behind him when he made a promise, and if there was and he couldn't cross his fingers, he just crossed them in his mind and hoped this was as good as the real thing.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1969, Phyllis McCallum, The Vanilla Viking A Three-Act Play for Children, page 37",
          "text": "AFTON: (CROSSING HER FINGERS) I always tell the truth. See for yourself. From the men's doorway you can see that the fjord is empty.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:",
        "when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie)."
      ],
      "id": "en-cross_one's_fingers-en-verb-cnq3aE3q",
      "links": [
        [
          "middle finger",
          "middle finger"
        ],
        [
          "index finger",
          "index finger"
        ],
        [
          "lie",
          "lie"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
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        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She was seen crossing her fingers in the wedding photo.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:",
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially"
      ],
      "id": "en-cross_one's_fingers-en-verb-Hzt0WWQz",
      "links": [
        [
          "middle finger",
          "middle finger"
        ],
        [
          "index finger",
          "index finger"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "jiāochā shǒuzhǐ",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "交叉手指"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "ristiä sormensa"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "croiser les doigts"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "die Finger kreuzen"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "incrociare le dita"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "krzyżować palce"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "skrzyżować palce"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "cruzar os dedos"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "skrestítʹ pálʹcy",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "скрести́ть па́льцы"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "cruzar los dedos"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "hålla fingrarna i kors"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "korsa fingrarna"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "sätta fingrarna i kors"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "cmn",
      "english": "no exact equivalent exists; “to tell a white lie”",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "說一個善意的謊言"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "shuō yīgè shànyì de huǎngyán",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "说一个善意的谎言"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "kertoa valkoinen valhe"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "croiser les doigts"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "die Finger kreuzen"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "cruzar os dedos"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vratʹ skrestív pálʹcy",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "врать скрести́в па́льцы"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "korsa fingrarna"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "lägga fingrarna i kors"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "hålla fingrarna i kors"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "33 33 33",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ],
      "word": "hålla kors"
    }
  ],
  "word": "cross one's fingers"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English predicates",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English verbs",
    "en:Body language"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Christianity",
        "3": "Christian"
      },
      "expansion": "Christian",
      "name": "l"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sign of the cross"
      },
      "expansion": "sign of the cross",
      "name": "l"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "* As a gesture of good luck, from the Christian notion of inconspicuously making a sign of the cross as an invocation to God.\n* As a gesture of lying, probably from the Schwurhand, a gesture used in some European countries when taking an oath. The right hand is raised with the index and middle fingers extended upwards (somewhat similarly to a V sign but with the thumb on the side). By crossing the two fingers, the oath is thus symbolically broken.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "crosses one's fingers",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "crossing one's fingers",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "crossed one's fingers",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "crossed one's fingers",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "cross one's fingers (third-person singular simple present crosses one's fingers, present participle crossing one's fingers, simple past and past participle crossed one's fingers)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "cross one's arms"
    },
    {
      "word": "cross one's heart"
    },
    {
      "word": "have one's fingers crossed"
    },
    {
      "word": "keep one's fingers crossed"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I hope everything turns out OK. I'll cross my fingers for you. / I'll cross my fingers that everything turns out OK.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Jayne Addison, About That Kiss",
          "text": "“Cross your fingers that the readership loves it.” Joy crossed her fingers.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Bette Greene, Get On Out of Here, Philip Hall",
          "text": "Well, I reckon that all of us Singing Glenways ain't crossing our fingers for you.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, Anne Holt, Tom Geddes, Blind Goddess",
          "text": "With another huge effort he grabbed the bucket hook again, mentally crossing his fingers for the bolts in the thin plywood to hold.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:",
        "when wishing for luck, or"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "middle finger",
          "middle finger"
        ],
        [
          "index finger",
          "index finger"
        ],
        [
          "luck",
          "luck"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Toni White, Ridge Street Home, page 5",
          "text": "Amanda placed her right hand behind her back and crossed her fingers. Her friend Sarah told her if you cross your fingers behind your back when you tell a lie, it's not a lie. Amanda didn't know if she believed that, but she crossed her fingers anyway.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Carsen Taite, Nothing But the Truth",
          "text": "“You focus your efforts on managing your prosecutors and show up to try that case. I'll handle the rest.” Ryan nodded assent but crossed her fingers behind her back. She would do more than just show up.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014, Millie Criswell, Staying Single",
          "text": "“It's not like I've been having fun,” she lied, crossing her fingers behind her back.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014, Frank Sousa, The Tree of Young Dreamers, page 313",
          "text": "He always tried to make sure there wasn't a mirror behind him when he made a promise, and if there was and he couldn't cross his fingers, he just crossed them in his mind and hoped this was as good as the real thing.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1969, Phyllis McCallum, The Vanilla Viking A Three-Act Play for Children, page 37",
          "text": "AFTON: (CROSSING HER FINGERS) I always tell the truth. See for yourself. From the men's doorway you can see that the fjord is empty.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:",
        "when telling a lie (and attempting to escape the moral and other consequence of that lie)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "middle finger",
          "middle finger"
        ],
        [
          "index finger",
          "index finger"
        ],
        [
          "lie",
          "lie"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She was seen crossing her fingers in the wedding photo.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:",
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "middle finger",
          "middle finger"
        ],
        [
          "index finger",
          "index finger"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "To put the middle finger across the index finger, especially:"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "jiāochā shǒuzhǐ",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "交叉手指"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "ristiä sormensa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "croiser les doigts"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "die Finger kreuzen"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "incrociare le dita"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "krzyżować palce"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "skrzyżować palce"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "cruzar os dedos"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "skrestítʹ pálʹcy",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "скрести́ть па́льцы"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "cruzar los dedos"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "hålla fingrarna i kors"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "korsa fingrarna"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "put the middle finger across the index finger",
      "word": "sätta fingrarna i kors"
    },
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "trymácʹ kuláki",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "трыма́ць кула́кі"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "stiskam palci",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "стискам палци"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "encreuar els dits"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "creuar els dits"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "祈禱"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "qídǎo",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "祈祷"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "祈求好運"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "qíqiú hǎoyùn",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "祈求好运"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "držet palce"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "duimen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "pitää peukkua"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "croiser les doigts"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "tenir les pouces"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "english": "put the thumb into the fist and press it",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "Daumen drücken"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "káno ton stavró mou",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "κάνω τον σταυρό μου"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "incrociare le dita"
    },
    {
      "alt": "こううんをいのる",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "kōun o inoru",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "幸運を祈る"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "haeng'uneul bilda",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "행운을 빌다"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "trzymać kciuki"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "cruzar os dedos"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "nadéjatsja na udáču",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "наде́ятся на уда́чу"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "cruzar los dedos"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "english": "to hold the thumbs",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to wish for good luck",
      "word": "hålla tummarna"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "english": "no exact equivalent exists; “to tell a white lie”",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "說一個善意的謊言"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "shuō yīgè shànyì de huǎngyán",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "说一个善意的谎言"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "kertoa valkoinen valhe"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "croiser les doigts"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "die Finger kreuzen"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "cruzar os dedos"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vratʹ skrestív pálʹcy",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "врать скрести́в па́льцы"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "korsa fingrarna"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "lägga fingrarna i kors"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "word": "hålla fingrarna i kors"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "do this or a similar gesture to tell a white lie",
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ],
      "word": "hålla kors"
    }
  ],
  "word": "cross one's fingers"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.