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luck Definition

luck (luk)

noun

  1. the seemingly chance happening of events that affect someone; fortune; fate
  2. good fortune; success, prosperity, advantage, etc.
  3. an object believed to bring good luck

Etymology: ME lucke, prob. < MDu luk, contr. < gelucke < ODu *gilukki (> Ger glück, fortune, good luck) < ? IE base *leug-, to bend (> leek, lock): basic sense “what bends together,” hence, “what occurs, what is fitting, lucky occurrence”

intransitive verb

Informal to be lucky enough to come (into, on, through, etc.)

luck Idioms

crowd one's luck

or push one's luck or press one's luck☆

Slang to take unnecessary risks in an already favorable situation

down on one's luck

in misfortune; unlucky

in luck

fortunate; lucky

luck out

Informal to have things turn out favorably for one; be lucky

out of luck

unfortunate; unlucky

try one's luck

to try to do something without being sure of the outcome

worse luck

unfortunately

luck Synonyms

luck

n.

  1. Good fortune

    good luck, prosperity, weal, wealth, favorable issue, fluke, master stroke, run of luck, piece of luck, streak of luck, windfall, advantage, profit, triumph, victory, kismet, karma, win, health, friends, happiness, blessings, godsend, opportunity, low probability, lucky break, occasion, turn of the wheel of fortune, break*, walkover*, the breaks*, smiles of fortune*; see also success 2.

    Antonyms failure*, ill-fortune, bad luck.

  2. Chance

    unforeseen occurrence, fluke, fate; see accident 2, chance 1.

crowd (<strong><em>or</em> </strong>push) one's luck*

gamble, take risks, chance; see risk.

down on one's luck*

in misfortune, unlucky, discouraged; see unfortunate 2.

in luck
out of luck

unlucky, in misfortune, in trouble; see unfortunate 2.

try one's luck
worse luck

unhappily, unluckily, unfavorably; see unfortunately 1.

luck Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • wish: When they are not playing Arsenal I wish good luck to Leeds.
  • bring: Chimney sweeps are often considered to bring good luck.
  • desert: Very harsh as the luck deserted him when he most needed it.

Adjective modifier

  • bad: Bad luck for Martha, then, who has to stand out in the cold all night.
  • good: We wish them good luck for the rest of the season.
  • sheer: Also by sheer luck I found a drill steel to fit it.
  • pure: Q: How much do you think that becoming successful is just pure luck?
  • tough: Mr. Caborn: Business is pretty tough luck anyway, sometimes.
  • ill: Woe betide those who did pick it, for ill luck would follow, troubling the whole house.

Modifies a noun

  • mate: I had the same problem but i just tighten it abit at a time, good luck mate!
  • _________________: Good luck _________________ Kev Man is limited by his fears, not by his imagination.

Noun used with modifier

  • lotsa: I'm here to help - if my help's not appreciated then lotsa luck, gentlemen.
  • .good: Cheers guys .Good luck bears and come on the rain!
  • stewart: Posts: 424 | From: Leicester | Registered: Apr 2004 | IP: Logged | stewart luck Member # 26123754 posted 12.
  • good: Phyllis, going off stage, sort of introduced it, initially by calling Good luck big boy, he needed it.
  • nae: I'd applied for tickets on the up-close website but nae luck.
  • pot: Dr. Rose Hawkins says: " It's pot luck.

Preposition: of

draw: Part 2 of an article by Lynne Suzanne Winning competition prize draws is based on the " luck of the draw " .

Preposition: from

yard: Once again Kalinichenko tries his luck from 25 yards but his effort flashes wide of the far post.

Preposition: than

judgment: It will be more luck than judgment, in my opinion.

Browse dictionary entries near luck

  1. Lucius
  2. Lucite
  3. Lucinda
  4. Lucina
  5. Lucille
  6. luciferous
  7. luciferin
  8. luciferase
  9. Lucifer
  10. lucidity
  1. luckily
  2. luckless
  3. Lucknow
  4. lucky
  5. lucky dip
  6. lucrative
  7. lucre
  8. Lucretia
  9. Lucretius
  10. lucubrate