crosse

get (one's) wires crossed

1. Of oneself, to be or become confused, mistaken, or mentally disordered (about something). An allusion to telephone lines being wrongly connected and thus disrupting calls. I'm sorry for bringing you the wrong order, sir, I've been getting my wires crossed all day! Wow, it sounds like you really got your wires crossed about how to process that shipment!

2. Of two or more people, to have a miscommunication between one another, resulting in a mistake or misunderstanding. I'm sorry about all the confusion regarding the contract, Bob; it looks like we got our wires crossed somehow. I think Mary and Robert's fight is really just the because they got their wires crossed.

fingers crossed

An expression of hope that something one desires will come to pass or turn out to be true. A truncated version of the phrase "keep your fingers crossed." I studied for that exam for two weeks, so I hope I get a good grade on it. Fingers crossed! Fingers crossed my packages get delivered in time for Christmas!

cross (one's) bows

To annoy or irritate. Boy, you are really crossing my bows today. Why can't you just do what I ask without arguing about it?

cross the Great Divide

To die. I'm really scared that mom is going to cross the Great Divide any day now. The doctors are saying that it's only a matter of time.

cross to bear

A difficult responsibility or burden that someone must handle on their own. When Nancy's husband passed away, she was left with quite a cross to bear having to raise four children on her own.

get (one's) signals crossed

To have a misunderstanding or miscommunication with someone else. I'm sorry I'm late, I thought we were getting here at 8—we must have gotten our signals crossed. My mom and I got our signals crossed, and now there's no one here to babysit the kids.

Crosses are ladders that lead to heaven.

Prov. Having to endure trouble can help you to be virtuous. When Mary was diagnosed with cancer, her mother consoled her by saying that crosses are ladders that lead to heaven, and that though she might have to suffer in this world, she would surely be rewarded in the next.

have one's wires crossed

Fig. to have one's mental processes in disarray; to be confused. You don't know what you are talking about. You've really got your wires crossed! Joan got her wires crossed about who arrived first. It was Bob, not Gary.

keep one's fingers crossed (for someone or something)

and cross one's fingers

to wish for luck for someone or something, sometimes by actually crossing one's fingers; to hope for a good outcome for someone or something. I hope you win the race Saturday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. I'm trying out for a play. Keep your fingers crossed!

star-crossed lovers

ill-fated lovers. I suppose that Romeo and Juilet are star-crossed lovers.

cross your fingers

also keep your fingers crossed

to hope for good luck At this point, they can only stand back, cross their fingers and wait to see if the fireworks go off perfectly.

Etymology: based on the practice, esp. of children, to put one finger over the next one either as a sign of hope for good luck or to avoid punishment

get your lines/wires crossed

if two people get their lines crossed, they do not understand each other correctly

Usage notes: When telephone lines get crossed, a mistake is made and you are connected to the wrong person.

Somehow we got our lines crossed because I'd got the 23rd written down in my diary and Jenny had the 16th.

cross your fingers

also keep your fingers crossed

to hope that things will happen in the way you want them to

Usage notes: People often cross their middle finger over their first finger as a sign that they are hoping for luck.

We're crossing our fingers and hoping that the weather stays fine. (often an order) Keep your fingers crossed, everyone, Jane's only got to answer one more question.

cross one's fingers

Also, keep one's fingers crossed.

1. Wish for luck by crossing two fingers of one hand. For example, I'm crossing my fingers that I get the job, or Keep your fingers crossed that the hurricane goes out to sea. This superstitious statement presumably alludes to the much older practice of making the sign of the cross to ward off evil. [Early 1900s]

2. Tell a white lie that doesn't matter. For example, I told Mom I didn't eat any cookies but I had my fingers crossed. The childish belief that if one keeps one's fingers crossed one may lie with impunity probably comes from children's games in which one was "safe" if one crossed one's fingers, and the ultimate allusion may be the same as in def. 1.

cross to bear

A burden or trial one must put up with, as in Alzheimer's is a cross to bear for the whole family, or in a lighter vein, Mowing that huge lawn once a week is Brad's cross to bear: This phrase alludes to the cross carried by Jesus to his crucifixion. Today it may be used either seriously or lightly. [Second half of 1500s]

get one's wires crossed

Also, have one's wires crossed. Become or be confused or mistaken about something, as in If you think there's a meeting today, you really have your wires crossed; it's not till next month . This expression transfers a wrongly wired telephone or telegraph connection to human misunderstanding. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Fedele	fe-DE-le	Italian
Lambert	['læmbət]
Alida	ah-LEE-dah (German)	Dutch, German, Hungarian
Yildirim	-	Turkish
Gideon	GID-ee-ən (English)	Biblical, English, Hebrew
Kajsa	KIE-sah	Swedish