ASK THE GLOBE From: The Boston Globe (Boston, MA) | Date: February 26, 1990 | Copyright (null) The Boston Globe. Provided by ProQuest LLC.Copyright information

Q. Where did the expression "knock on wood" originate? S.F., Scituate A. Its origin is apparently unknown, but the Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins says the ancient superstition may have come from the pagan practice of rapping on trees to ask protection from tree-dwelling spirits. Another theory is that ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and trade journal articles from HighBeam Research

(Including press releases, facts, information, and biographies)

	ASK THE GLOBE ; ...origin, deriving from the practice of rapping on trees to ask protection from friendly spirits who were believed to reside inside...games like hide-and-seek in which players who succeed in touching wood are safe from capture. Another, far-fetched, possibility...
	Examining the Leger ; ...final Classic of the season in 1982 on Touching Wood. Doncaster was later to be the setting...race, but not a class one." Not like Touching Wood's epic, where Maktoum Al Maktoum's...length and a half. Cook recalled: "Touching Wood had been second to Golden Fleece in...
	Examining the Leger. ; ...final Classic of the season in 1982 on Touching Wood. Doncaster was later to be the setting...race, but not a class one. Not like Touching Wood's epic, where Maktoum Al Maktoum's...a length and a half. Cook recalled: Touching Wood had been second to Golden Fleece in...
	On this day in . . .1982.(Sports) ; ...Mercer, has to work hard to give 8lb to Touching Wood, but he wins by half a length. The pair met again in the Derby when Touching Wood beat all but Golden Fleece, with Peacetime seventh. Touching Wood had an excellent autumn with victories...
	Wood luck.(News) ; TOUCHING wood is Britain's most popular superstitious belief, a psychological survey revealed today.
	WOOD YOU CREDIT IT?(News) ; FOUR fifths of Britons are superstitious, with 70 per cent touching wood to avert bad luck, a survey shows in Bella magazine.
	Golden Fleece wins it!(News) ; ...the Derby at Epsom this afternoon. He was followed home by Touching Wood. Silver Hawk was placed third, and French - challenger Persepolis...Norwick struck the front. He was immediately challenged by Touching Wood who almost got alongside. But a. huge roar went up from the...
	Control destiny.(Comment) ; ...at all superstitious, while a whopping 75% couldn't resist touching wood occasionally and 65% were occasionally tempted to cross their...tell us to observe the routines we have observed for years. Touching wood and crossing fingers may not govern what goes on in the heat...
	We'll thrash the italians on pitch ... Touch wood ; ...figures revealed half of Scots are superstitious, regularly touching wood and relying on lucky clothing. The research, carried out...crept in, the traditional ones remain. The most common is touching wood. Some believe the act came about through knocking on the...
	ON THIS DAY IN 1982.(Sport) ; ON THIS DAY IN 1982 ... Touching Wood proved stamina was his strong suit when he ran on strongly...two and a half lengths back in third. The following month Touching Wood went on to complete a famous double with victory in the Irish...

For more facts and information, see all results