Murphy's Law
noun
the facetious proposition that if something can go wrong, it will.
Also called
Murphy's First Law.
Origin of Murphy's Law
Americanism; after a fictitious
Murphy, allegedly the name of a bungling mechanic in U.S. Navy educational cartoons of the 1950s
British Dictionary definitions for murphy's law
Word Origin for Murphy's law
C20: of uncertain origin
Cultural definitions for murphy's law
Murphy's Law
A rule that states, “If something can go wrong, it will.” An addition to this law reads, “and usually at the worst time.” The identity of “Murphy” is unknown, but the saying was first used during the 1940s and may have originated with members of the armed forces in World War II.
Idioms and Phrases with murphy's law
Murphy's law
If anything can go wrong, it will, as in We may think we've covered all the details for the benefit, but remember Murphy's law. The identity of Murphy, if ever a real person, is unknown. Some think it alludes to (but was not invented by) a feckless Irishman named Murphy. [c. 1940]