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      • If you do something on a wing and a prayer, you try to do something and hope you'll succeed even though you have very little chance of success.
      www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/wing and a prayer.html
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  2. What's the meaning of the phrase 'On a wing and a prayer'? In a difficult situation, relying on meagre resources and luck to get out of it. What's the origin of the phrase 'On a wing and a prayer'?

    • Origin of on A Wing and A Prayer
    • Examples of on A Wing and A Prayer
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    This expression originated during World War II. It appeared in a film called The Flying Tigersin the year 1942. One of the pilots in the military had lost one wing of his plane, so he was trying to land using only one wing and a prayer. This same expression appeared in a patriotic song showing how determined soldiers were—even when the possibility ...

    The first dialogue shows a brother and sister discussing a car that the brother is building. Luke: Ella, can you hand me that rag over there? Ella: Sure. What are you trying to do to that car? Luke: I’m trying to fix it. Ella: Really? That car hasn’t worked in over twenty years. I’d be surprised if you could even get it to start. Luke: Yeah, I know...

    This article excerpt is about a pigeon with a cell phone attached to his back. Someone wanted to use this pigeon to smuggle the cell phone into a prison. 1. The high-tech carrier pigeon flew to the Combita prison in Colombia on a wing and a prayer and was caught outside with the device attached to its back. –New York Daily News This example is abou...

    The expression On a wing and a prayer is a saying that people add when they want to emphasize how little chance of success something has, and that the person is relying and luck to be successful.

  3. When someone is on a wing and a prayer, they aren’t literally soaring through the sky hoping for divine intervention. Metaphorically, the phrase is meant to represent that they’re pushing through a super challenging situation or relying heavily on hope and faith rather than a solid plan or a safety net.

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  4. Sep 1, 2024 · The idiom “on a wing and a prayer” means doing something while hoping for good luck or divine help because it seems very unlikely to succeed. It suggests that success is so uncertain that one must rely on hope or a miracle rather than confidence in a positive outcome.

  5. If you do something on a wing and a prayer, you do it hoping that you will succeed, although you are not prepared enough for it: With hardly any funding and a staff of six, they were operating on a wing and a prayer. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Hoping and hopefulness. appealingly.

  6. You can use "Wing and a Prayer" to describe a situation where someone is attempting to do something with very little hope or chance of success. For example, if a friend is trying to fix a broken car with limited tools and knowledge, you might say, 'He's attempting to fix the car with just a wing and a prayer.'

  7. Idiom: Wing and a prayer Meaning: If you do something on a wing and a prayer, you try to do something and hope you'll succeed even though you have very little chance of success.

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