cross my heart and hope to die
Attest to the truth of something; solemnly assure someone that the truth has been spoken. For example, I did lock the door—cross my heart and hope to die! This phrase most likely originated as a religious oath based on the sign of the cross; it is generally accompanied by hand gestures such as crossing one's hands over one's breast and then pointing the right hand skyward (a variant is cross my heart and point to God). Today most often uttered by children, it was first recorded in 1908.
QUIZZES
CAN YOU GUESS THESE WORDS FROM AROUND THE US?
American English is not always as it appears to be ... get to know regional words in this quiz!
Question 1 of 10
A bet is synonymous with a wager, but what does it mean in New York?
Words nearby cross my heart and hope to die
cross-match, cross matching, cross-mate, cross-modality, cross-multiply, cross my heart and hope to die, cross-national, crossness, cross-nodal, cross of Calvary, Cross of Gold speech
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.