why do we say ''touch wood''?
465829
(m)\n\n'Touch wood' or 'knock on wood' is a popular saying intended to reverse any bad luck that might come our way, especially in regard to something we've just done or said. \n\n\n\nIn conversation, when we make some remark about something we hope won't happen or something that hasn't happened lately we will often touch wood to ensure our luck doesn't run out in regard to the thing we're talking about.  A good example would be ' I haven't had a cold for 3 years!'  Then we are likely to add  an emphatic 'touch wood' or 'knock on wood'.  \n\n\n\nOr if we say something  foolish like 'No, I don't need to back up my data because my computer never crashes . . . !' we might knock on our head with our knuckles a couple of times and say 'touch wood'!  \n\n\n\nWhen making some boastful comment like "Our sales are skyrocketing!" we  are likely to reach for the nearest piece of wooden furniture and 'knock on wood' to ensure our good fortune continues. \n\n\n\nIt is a strongly engrained superstition and folks will often go to great lengths to find something wood to 'knock on' fearing that if they don't touch wood their luck will surely run out.
211742
Undoubtedly,it was wood from a tree from\nthe area where they were.  The Bible does\nnot tell us what kind of wood was used.
44504
there are two supposed origins - \n1. is from the word nut, meaning hard seed, which is called "hnutu" in Old English or "*khnut" in Proto-Germanic\n\n2. from earlier be nutts upon "be very fond of" (1785), which is possibly from nuts (noun, plural) "any source of pleasure" (1617), from nut (described above). Sense influenced probably by metaphoric application of nut to "head" (1846, e.g. to be off one's nut "be insane," 1860). Nut "crazy person, crank" is attested from 1903, (British form nutter first attested 1958).
811953
First, the word is "affects" not "effects".\n\nI would call it "Touch of Color?"
529025
I think this is a case of a writer, or his editor, searching for a word and not coming up with the word he intended. I think he was looking for "tapped," which can mean selected, but his mind gave him "tabbed" instead. It's not the making of a noun into a verb that is the problem. That's done all the time in informal English. It's just not a good word choice.
881533
This is not the answer that you're looking for.\n\nI just have a major bee in my bonnet about the abhorrent standard of English used in this media.\n\nThanks. I have got it off my chest now !
430907
That's the way english is...or for that matter any other language. The literal meaning can be vastly different from the actual meaning which must be inferred from the context. Therefore, if I say I'm gonna water the plants....then, water here is used as a verb whose meaning has evolved out of common usage. "building" has a similar evolution from its original meaning.\n\nI guess you've posted this question just for the sake of posting and fun...well, so am I, answering it to make my first post :)
926051
Sounds like a label on "unwanted furniture remover"  :)\n\nThe phrase usually goes "easy on hands, tough on grease"
794281
The tickling sensation comes from contact of another person's finger (for example) because the body reacts as a "i don't know what's happening here"... When you do it, your body does know where it will happen, what amount of pressure it will have and so.
63683
"Neck" had been used in English since around 1555 to describe a narrow strip of land, usually surrounded by water, based on its resemblance to the neck of an animal. But the Americans were the first to apply "neck" to a narrow stand of woods or, more importantly, to a settlement located in a particular part of the woods. In a country then largely covered by forests, your "neck of the woods" was your home, the first American neighborhood.
655848
Exmample 1. (verbal) "whew weee!! I sure would like to hit that, Baby!!"\nExample 2. (physical contact) dissapropiate hugging, and  touching.\n\nHow do I know so much about it? Women do this to me at work all the time!!!!
169433
in the ancient times...people learned to use their hands as a part of communication. gradually when people became angry ..this physical touching took an intensive form and became slapping. it was intended to HURT the other when one got enraged at the other. slapping, clapping...touching hitting...all gradually became a part of our lives! oh the humanity! ;)
895551
Should rhymes with would, or wood.
932399
I have several acquaintances that unfortunately use that term, however they use "there must have been a n in the wood pile."  And in that instance means your daddy isn't your daddy (or to whomever they are referring).  It means the mother slept with a African American and produced a child...simply as a joke.
148567
You might mean "touche" which is a french word acknowledging, originally, a hit in fencing. It has come signify a successful criticism or an effective point in argument, as in "Nice reply! Touche! You got me, etc."\n\n\n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n[French, from past participle of toucher, to hit or wound in fencing, from Old French touchier, to touch. See touch.]
691534
Great question!  It makes absolutely no sense!  Please rephrase it!  Using words actually found in English!  Thanks!
1071340
The correct answer is "as". This type of question is called an analogy.\n\nAnother and more popular example of one is:\n\nA glove is to hand as a shoe is to ________ (The answer is foot because the glove covers/protects the hand then the shoe must cover/protect whatever it is referring to.)\n\nI hope that made sense to you. If I figure out a better way to explain it let you know.