12. Cross (one’s) fingersto hope for luck
I sure hope we haven’t missed the plane. There isn’t another one for a week. Cross your fingers.
We’re hoping that the operation is a success. We have our fingers crossed.
13. Dead to the world fast asleep
Crystal tried to wake her sons to get them on their way to school, but they had stayed out until well past midnight and now they were dead to the world. Nothing could rouse them.
I was barely aware that my telephone was ringing in the middle of the night because I was dead to the world. I couldn’t drag myself out of bed in time to answer it.
14. Dog days (of summer)very hot days
Summer in the southern United States is uncomfortably hot and humid. In July and August, we suffer through the dog days.
I can’t stand the dog days of summer. Next year I’m going to buy an air conditioner!
The expression has an astronomical source. It is the time in July and August when, in the northern hemisphere, the Dog Star, Sirius, rises in conjunction with the sun. In ancient times it was believed that it was the combined heat of Sirius and the sun that caused the hot weather.
