A: After last month's minor road accident, my father has finally agreed to give up his motorcycle rides. B: What a relief! Considering his age, he was constantly tempting fate every time he ventured out on his motorcycle. Note: This idiom conveys the notion of engaging in risky or potentially unfavorable activities. It employs “tempt” to indicate testing one’s luck or taking chances. Previous idioms with similar meanings include “tempt God,” dating back to the 1300s, and “tempt fortune,” first recorded in 1603, with the “fate” variation emerging around 1700. For example: You’re really tempting fate by not taking your car in for service when all these dashboard lights are on. |