<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (March 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Look up knock on wood or touch wood in Wiktionary, the free dictionary . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Look up knock on wood or touch wood in Wiktionary, the free dictionary . </Td> </Tr> <P> Knocking on wood--in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland the phrase is touch wood--is an apotropaic tradition of literally touching, tapping, or knocking on wood, or merely stating that one is doing or intending to do so, in order to avoid "tempting fate" after making a favourable observation, a boast, or declaration concerning one's own death or other unfavorable situation beyond one's control . </P>

Why do you touch wood for good luck