lap of the gods
1
9.9
- idiom
- Informal
:
en manos de los dioses
- At the end of the day, what happens to you is largely in the lap of the gods.
Examples
-
For example, when Marcher explains to her that his destiny is nothing that he can choose or reject, but is "in the lap of the gods," she responds with the following remark:
Academic text (1992) -
But it's in the lap of the gods.
Fiction book (1995) -
Whether a writer is lucky enough to sell additional rights is largely in the lap of the gods.
Blog text (33) -
Thereafter, our fate is in the lap of the gods.
-
Whether a writer is lucky enough to sell additional rights is largely in the lap of the gods.
-
Thereafter, our fate is in the lap of the gods.
Synonyms
19
6.8
A natural event like a flood or earthquake that cannot be prevented by people
3
4.8
A result that depends only on chance, like drawing names from a hat
A sudden change that breaks your plans, often causing trouble
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase uses a spatial metaphor — 'lap' as a receptacle or holder combined with 'gods' who control outcomes — so a learner who knows those words could plausibly infer that something is being held by divine forces and thus out of human control. However, the construction is somewhat idiomatic and culturally specific (and slightly literary), so the precise sense 'beyond human control/depends on fate' is not fully predictable for an average B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
Lap of the gods may come from old stories where powerful gods sat above people and held decisions in their lap. If something was in the gods' lap, it was up to them, so the phrase means 'beyond human control'.