Break a Leg

Etymology:

• It has been a very old tradition of wishing life performers good luck by telling them to break a leg. Initially this term was used by the Germans only and they said to the performers to break their neck and leg. Later the neck part was taken out. It was an old superstition that people thought wishing good luck result in opposite results. That is why people used to say opposite things in order to wish something good luck, to cover the effects of a superstition. It is one of the most common theatrical slogans that are used all over the world.