We say the phrase, break a leg, in order to wish people luck in a performance or audition in the theater or music. Technically, it is a command (an imperative)—but we do not want people to actually break their legs! It is a tradition and means “I wish you a successful performance.”
Nobody knows for sure why we say this. It first appeared in America during the 1920s and is believed to have come from a German or Yiddish phrase with similar meaning. This makes sense because Yiddish performers were big in American film and theater during the 1920s and they are known for ironic humor—and “break a leg” is a funny and ironic way of saying “I hope nothing bad happens to you.”
Americans believe that saying this phrase brings good luck to the performer. It is a kind of superstitious magic; saying it may give courage to a performer.
For more illustration, look at the two sections below to see how the phrase “break a leg” is used in a sentence based on its idiomatic meaning compared to its literal (dictionary) meaning.
More Examples of “Break a leg!” in a Sentence (Idiomatic usage)
- “Break a leg!” I shouted to Ryan.
- As they say in show business: break a leg!
- John called to tell me to break a leg.
- Julio touches her glass merrily and says, “Break a leg, Amy”.
- Please don’t wish me luck by saying break a leg.
More Examples of “Break a leg!” in a Sentence (literal usage)
- If you break a leg, you get a splint.
- If you were to have a bad fall and break a leg, you would go see your doctor.
- Slow down; we don’t want anybody to break a leg.
- If you break a leg, the policy may only cover COVID medication.
- El Cajon police said the woman was not in a crosswalk when the car hit her, causing her to break a leg.