What is the significance of crossing your fingers

This theory doesn't fully explain how luck initially became associated with the gesture, but it does posit that the solo finger cross developed during the bloody Hundred Years War by soldiers eager for anything that might curry God's favor.

BY Hannah Keyser. Big Questions Origins History. Subscribe to our Newsletter! Follow us. Choose a dictionary. Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English. Grammar Thesaurus. Word Lists. Choose your language. My word lists. Tell us about this example sentence:. The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word. The sentence contains offensive content. Even if you need some luck, you had better be careful where to cross your fingers, because crossing your index and the middle finger has other meanings in other cultures.

For instance, in Vietnam, if you cross your fingers while speaking to someone it is considered rude as it is the same gesture in their culture as holding up your middle finger in Western cultures. In Germany, if you cross your fingers, it might suggest that you are about to break an oath.

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.