Ever felt the thrill of doing something where success seems just a bit dubious? Welcome to the world of tempting fate!
Definition:
Tempt fate, to: To expose oneself to danger, take a significant risk. This brave little phrase has been daring hearts since the early 1700s!
Origin:
Tempting fate stepped warmly into the English language around 1700, taking over from “to tempt fortune.” A notable mention is found in John Dryden’s 1693 translation of a Juvenal satire: “Thy Perjur’d Friend will quickly tempt his Fate.”
Could Dryden have been hinting at a risky friendship or just suggesting they play with fire? Either way, the phrase caught on, much like the daring souls it describes!
Related & Similar Terms:
🚪 Expressions Playing with Risk:
- Roll the dice – Embrace a random, potentially risky chance.
- Walking on thin ice – Living dangerously, often narrowly avoiding trouble.
- Playing with fire – Engaging in dangerous activities just waiting to burn you.
- Take the plunge – Dive into action, without knowing what waits at the bottom.
🐱 Idioms to Hold Your Horses For:
- Bite off more than you can chew – Undertake more than you can handle.
- Fly too close to the sun – Drawing from the tale of Icarus, to take hubris-fueled risks.
Humorous Quotes:
- “If you are setting out to be an adventurous soul, beware! You might tempt fate, and fate has been eating its Wheaties.” – F.L. Foolhardy
- “They say, ‘don’t tempt fate.’ What they really mean is, don’t point and laugh at it while pretending to juggle flaming swords!” – Anonymous
Proverbs:
- Fortune favors the bold – The courageous tend to be successful.
- Look before you leap – Consider your potential risks before acting.
Recommendations:
Why not dive into where the phrase originates and get a thrill?
📖 Literature:
- “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer – Penny-ante risks in medieval settings.
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- “Catch-22”* by Joseph Heller – Often includes characters skirting sheer folly.
🎬 Films:
- Mission: Impossible Series – Tom Cruise doing many things that tempt fate for your enjoyment.
- “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown – Protagonist constantly in pursuits akin to tempting fate.
🛠 Quizzes 🛠
Remember, tempting fate might just be the exhilarating push that makes living a grand story worth telling! Watch your step, leap knowingly, and fling caution to the approaching wind.
Farewell thought: ✨ “Life itself is the ultimate tempting of fate. Why not make every moment a cliff-side adventure, while keeping a parachute handy for safety?” ✨
