The cross is an ancient symbol in many cultures and religions. It is closely linked, of course, with the Christian church. Scandinavians also used crosses to mark the edges of their territory. And the cross was a sacred symbol to the Egyptians and to the Aztecs in Mexico. Today, the word cross is used in many expressions that seem to have little direct connection to religious beliefs.

For example, one way of wishing good luck to someone is to tell him that you will “keep your fingers crossed” for him.

Sometimes you may even cross two of your fingers when you wish him luck. But, more often, just saying the expression is believed to be enough to help bring success.

Crossing the fingers when making a wish may be a tradition many hundreds of years old. But most experts think the expression is an American one that began about ninety years ago. It probably has its roots in the ancient Christian belief that making the sign of the cross would keep away evil spirits and bad luck.

Children often cross their fingers when they tell a small lie. It is an old belief that lies will not be punished if told while the fingers are crossed. Many children have unhappily discovered that crossing their fingers no such protection.

Children often use another expression, “cross my heart”, when they say they are telling the truth. A child usually will make an X over his heart with his finger while saying it.

Language expert Charles Earle Frunk says “ cross my heart ”, and crossing the heart with the finger, probably come from the Roman Catholic Church tradition of making the sign of the cross. Mr. Frunk also says that earlier in this century, children in the United States often expanded the simple saying. They said, “Cross my heart and hope to die. And hope the cat will spit in your eye.”

Cross is used in many other ways. If you deceive someone or confuse them, you are “crossing them up”.

And you might become “cross as two sticks” at someone. This old expression means you are very angry. What do two sticks have to do with the situation? If you put one stick across the middle of the other stick, you have a cross. And the word cross is another way to say angry. So if you are as cross as two sticks, you are very angry.

Another expression, “to cross swords”, sounds like something from the past. It recalls the period when knights in armor seemed to speed most of their time fighting. You can imagine two angry knights whose swords cross during a battle. But the expression no longer means a noisy fight with swords. It describes a less violent fight with words instead of swords. You “cross swords” with someone when you argue or debate an issue with him.

在很多西方英语语言文化和宗教里，“十字”都是一个源远流长的象征性符号。它与基督教会的紧密关系是众所周知的。斯堪的纳维亚人也以十字符号标记他们领土的边界。对于埃及人和墨西哥的阿兹特克人，它都是神圣的象征。而今，很多日常习语里都含有“cross”这个词，不过这些习语看起来与宗教信仰并没什么直接关联。

例如，如果你想祝福某人好运，做法之一就是告诉他你会为他“keep your fingers crossed”。

有时你真的会把两个手指（通常是一只手的食指和中指）交叉起来。但更为普遍的情况下，人们认为口头表达就足够灵验了。

许愿祈福时交叉手指的传统也许有数百年的历史了。但大部分专家学者认定这种做法是90多年前由美国人发明的。追溯起来，它很可能来自古老的基督教信念——画个十字型符号就能驱走恶魔和霉运。

当孩子们编造小小的谎言时，他们也会交叉手指。这来自一个古老的说法——如果撒谎时手指交叉在一起，则可免受惩罚。许多孩子如此这般之后会沮丧地发现，这一招并不像传说中那么灵验。

孩子们还有另一种说法，当他们起誓自己说的全部是真话时，他们会说“cross my heart”。通常情况下，一个孩子会一边说一边用手指在胸前画个X形图案。

语言学家查理斯·厄尔·弗兰克认为，“画十字起誓”的说法和在胸前画十字的做法，很可能来自罗马天主教会画十字符号的传统。弗兰克先生还谈到，20世纪早期，美国儿童常常把这个简单的说法发展成歌谣，他们唱道：“胸前画个十字，否则不得好死。让猫咪的口水飙到你的眼睛里。”

“Cross”一词还有很多其他用法。如果你欺骗或迷惑别人，这种行为可以叫做“crossing them up”。

有时，你会对某人“cross as two sticks”。这个古老的说法意思是你正怒火冲天。但是，“两根棍子”在这里有什么含义？看，假如你将一根棍子横抵住另一个棍子中部，就搭成了一个十字形。而“cross”一词正是“气愤”的另一种说法。所以如果你气得“像两根死死抵住的棍子”，你的愤怒之情可真是不一般了。

还有一个习语，“to cross swords”，听起来颇有点古典味道。我们好像回到了古代——骑士们披甲执锐，终日沐浴在刀光剑影之中。稍加联想，两个勇猛的骑士决一死战、宝剑交错电石火光的场面似乎就在眼前。然而今天，这个说法已经与打打杀杀的事儿无关了。人们用它来形容另一场不甚暴力的争斗——用言语交锋，以唇为枪舌为剑，当你和某人讨论或争辩什么问题时，可以说你在“cross swords”。