knocking on wood

A form of knock on wood — To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of knock on wood
Cite this entry
APA

knocking on wood. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knocking%20on%20wood

MLA

“knocking on wood.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knocking%20on%20wood. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “knocking on wood,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knocking%20on%20wood.

Source: knocking on wood on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.