1used to say that you hope something will happen in the way you want 希望如愿,但愿,祈求
She hung the washing out, then crossed her fingers for a dry day.
她把洗好的衣物挂了出去,心里祈求天别下雨。
The exam’s at two. Will you keep your fingers crossed for me?
两点钟考试,你为我祈祷好吗?
Examples from the Corpus
cross your fingers• Always ready to knock on wood, throwsalt over my shoulder, bite my tongue, cross my fingers.• Careta held up a hand and crossed his fingers.• Jessica skipped and prayed and crossed her fingers.• As the others crossed their fingers and held their breath, he gently eased away the back plate.• At this point, they can only stand back, cross their fingers and hope for fireworks.• People vote, cross their fingers, and hope for the best.• This will pass, I told myself, crossing my fingers; everything passes.• A memo said that doctors were told "with crossed fingers" that the company was doing safetystudies.• Scientists and engineers have buttoned their lip, and crossed their fingers that the reckoning wouldn't come in their own day.
a)to hope that something will happen the way you want 祈求心想事成
We’re keeping our fingers crossed that she’s going to be OK.
我们祈求她不会有事。
b)to secretly put one finger over another finger, because you are telling a lie – done especially by children 〔说谎时〕偷偷将两根手指交叉〔尤为小孩所为〕
‘He’s nice, ’ said Laura, crossing her fingers under the table.
“他不错啊。”劳拉说,偷偷地在桌子底下交叉手指。
Examples from the Corpus
keeping ... fingers crossed• A lot of people are keeping their fingers crossed for him.• Widnes centre Dave Hanley will be keeping his fingers crossed that history doesn't repeat itself tomorrow.• We might be forgiven for keeping our fingers crossed that the CouncilTax will represent a reprieve.• And you can not help keeping your fingers crossed for him.• Bingham is keeping his fingers crossed that Gray's withdrawal is the only one.• Meanwhile, supplysergeants throughout the battalion were keeping their fingers crossed.