Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

knock on wood

/ˌnɑk ɑn ˈwʊd/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.21 in modern English

Syllables
knock- on -wood
IPA
/ˌnɑk ɑn ˈwʊd/
25
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.

American usage

intj

Hopefully; a self-directive to undertake the customary action to ward off bad luck.

American usage

Example Sentences

Etymology

From a folk practice of unclear origin.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌnɑk ɑn ˈwʊd/
  • British English: /ˌnɒk ɒn ˈwʊd/

Usage

Inflected Forms

knocks on wood (present, singular) knocking on wood (participle, present) knocked on wood (participle, past) knocked on wood (past)

Phrases

burn bread

Frequently Paired Words

burn bread

Synonyms

touch wood

Questions

How do you pronounce knock on wood?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌnɑk ɑn ˈwʊd/.
What does knock on wood mean?
To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.
Where does knock on wood come from?
From a folk practice of unclear origin.

How to pronounce knock on wood

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “knock on wood”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌnɑk ɑn ˈwʊd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “knock on wood”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “knock on wood” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.