in the lap of the gods

in the lap of the gods

Decided upon or controlled by luck, chance, or fate; outside of one's control or influence. Whether we'll get enough rainfall this year for an adequate harvest is entirely in the lap of the gods. The health of the team's star player is in the lap of the gods at this point.

See also: god, lap, of

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

lap of the gods, in the

Beyond one's control, in the hands of providence. For example, She's done what she can to expedite matters; now it's in the lap of the gods. This expression is a translation from Homer's Iliad, in which Automedon, the charioteer of Achilles and Patroclos, said the battle's outcome was "in the lap of the gods." Lap of the gods has also been translated as knees of the gods.

See also: lap, of

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

in the lap of the gods

If something is in the lap of the gods, it will be decided or affected by luck or chance, rather than anything you can do. Note: In the first four idioms, `lap' refers to the area at the top of your thighs when you are sitting down, where a child would sit. I've done all I can to get the job so we'll see what happens. It's in the lap of the gods. You make a recording of your song. Then, when the tape's been sent, it's in the lap of the gods. Note: The idea here is that nobody knows what blessings will fall from the lap of the gods until they actually appear on earth.

See also: god, lap, of

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

in the lap of the gods

(of the success of a plan or event) open to chance; depending on factors that you cannot control.

This expression comes from one used in several passages in the works of the Greek epic poet Homer. The original Greek refers to the ‘knees’ of the gods, possibly because suppliants laid gifts on the knees of those who were sitting in judgement upon them.

See also: god, lap, of

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

in the lap of the ˈgods

used to say that the success of something is uncertain because it depends on luck or on things beyond your control: I don’t know what’s going to happen — it’s in the lap of the gods now. All we can do is wait.

See also: god, lap, of

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017