toi, toi, toi

== English == === Etymology === From German toi, toi, toi. More at German toi, toi, toi. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /tɔɪ tɔɪ tɔɪ/ === Interjection === toi, toi, toi (theater, opera) A superstitious expression of encouragement prior to a performance. Synonyms: (theatre) break a leg, (considered to bring misfortune if used in the theatre) good luck ==== Usage notes ==== This expression may not be readily understood outside the context of the opera, theatre or music. ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === toi toi toi on Wikipedia.Wikipedia == German == === Etymology === Attested since the 19th century. Spread more generally through various songs of the 1920s and 1930s. Widely considered onomatopoeic for spitting. Spitting out three times is a superstitious act that remains common in several European as well as non-European cultures. In polite circles this was considered rude and hence replaced with the onomatopoeia. Compare Swedish tvi, imitative of spitting and used as a spoken onomatopoeia alternative to spitting three times to ward off bad luck. Compare also the idea of touching wood, the equivalent of which in German-speaking Europe is to knock on wood three times. It is possible, though unprovable, that the specific form of the onomatopoeia might have been reinforced by the word Teufel (“devil”, with the superstitious idea that saying something negative will have a positive effect, compare Hals- und Beinbruch) or by Yiddish טוב (tov, “good”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈtɔʏ̯ ˈtɔʏ̯ ˈtɔʏ̯/ === Interjection === toi, toi, toi! (colloquial) good luck; an expression of encouragement Synonyms: alles Gute, Hals- und Beinbruch, viel Glück Na, dann toi, toi, toi! ― So, good luck then! (colloquial) knock on wood; a superstitious expression used to avoid the negative consequences of some utterance === References === === Further reading === “toi, toi, toi” in Duden online toi, toi, toi on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia de