cross my heart and hope to die

Idioms  

1. Attest to the truth of something; solemnly assure someone that the truth has been spoken. For example, I did lock the door—cross my heart and hope to die! This phrase most likely originated as a religious oath based on the sign of the cross; it is generally accompanied by hand gestures such as crossing one's hands over one's breast and then pointing the right hand skyward (a variant is cross my heart and point to God). Today most often uttered by children, it was first recorded in 1908.

---

Example Sentences

The album winds down with an anthem about being an American, whose sound evokes Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy,” with lyrics like “love me for who I am,” and “cross my heart and hope to die, I’m a big old piece of American pie.”

From New York Times

The playground promise “cross my heart and hope to die”, started life as a religious oath, Christian in origin.

From The Guardian

“Cross my heart and hope to die, I did it first. Check the record,” she said.

From Washington Post

"Cross my heart and hope to die," laughed Tom, enjoying the amazement of his comrades.

From Project Gutenberg

Cross my heart and hope to die if I did!”

From Project Gutenberg