# What does ‘break a leg’ mean?

To “break a leg” means to good luck (especially to a performer). A 20th-century theatrical superstition, not in Brewer's 1898; wishing 'good luck' was thought to invite bad luck, so the opposite was said.

## What it means

- A 20th-century theatrical superstition, not in Brewer's 1898; wishing 'good luck' was thought to invite bad luck, so the opposite was said.

## Action steps

1. Almost exclusively used before a performance or audition.
2. Example: You'll do great tonight — break a leg!

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

---
Canonical: https://bestidiomanswers.com/answers/break-a-leg
Author: Best Idiom Answers — https://bestidiomanswers.com
Publisher: Best Idiom Answers
Published: 2026-07-18T04:16:34.601614+00:00
Modified: 2026-07-18T04:16:34.601614+00:00
Last verified: 2026-07-18
License: Citation License 1.0 — https://bestexpertanswers.com/license
© Adolicious LLC