cross someone's path

cross someone's path idiom
Encounter or meet someone, especially unexpectedly. For example, John didn't know her name, so he was hoping she would cross his path again soon, or She swore she would scream if a snake crossed her path. This phrase originally implied that such an encounter meant obstructing or thwarting a person, but in current usage this is not necessarily true. [Early 1600s]

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.

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