Join In
Twitter
YouTube
Weekly Newsletter
Libraries
A-Z Grammatical Terms
A-Z Confused Words
FAQs by Writers
A-Z Awkward Plurals
Punctuation Lessons
Common Mistakes
(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Grammar Videos
(ordered by category) Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
for your browser
(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Grammar Videos
(ordered by category) Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
for your browser
Break a Leg (Origin)
What Is the Origin of the Saying "Break a Leg"?
The term "break a leg" means good luck. Originally, it was said to actors prior to a performance to wish them luck. Nowadays, it is used more widely to wish someone luck.Table of Contents
- English Proverbs and Idioms Test
- More Proverbs, Sayings, and Idioms

Examples of Use:
- You've studied this role diligently. You'll be amazing. Get out there and break a leg!
- Your throat looks clear, and your voice seems back to normal. Don't hold back. You can sing your heart out. Break a leg!
- Actors will not whistle in a theatre.
- Actors will not say the final line of a play during rehearsal.
- Actors will not say "Macbeth" but will instead call it "The Scottish Play."
Competing Theory
"Break a leg" has nothing to do with luck. It means to try hard to the extent that you break a leg.Competing Theory
"Break a leg" comes from the German saying "Hals und Beinbruch," which means break your neck and leg. This saying was a banter-style wish used among German aircrew throughout World War II.Competing Theory
"Break a leg" means to give a performance so good that one of the side curtains (called "legs") will fail due to the number of encores.Competing Theory
"Break a leg" means to give a performance so good that you will break a leg as a result of all the post-show curtsying or bending to collect the coins thrown by the audience.Previous and Next Sayings
English Proverbs and Idioms Test
More Proverbs, Sayings, and Idioms
Help Us Improve Grammar Monster
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
Find Us Quicker!
- When using a search engine (e.g., Google, Bing), you will find Grammar Monster quicker if you add #gm to your search term.
Next lesson >