luck

[ luhk ]
See synonyms for luck on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities: With my luck I'll probably get pneumonia.

  2. good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance: He had no luck finding work.

  1. a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person: She's had nothing but bad luck all year.

  2. some object on which good fortune is supposed to depend: This rabbit's foot is my luck.

Verb PhrasesInformal.
  1. luck into / onto to meet, acquire, become, etc., by good luck: She lucked into a great job.

  2. luck out, to have an instance or run of exceptionally good luck: He lucked out when he made a hole in one during the tournament.

  1. luck upon, to come across by chance: to luck upon a profitable investment.

Idioms about luck

  1. down on one's luck, in unfortunate circumstances; unlucky: She hated to see her old friend so down on her luck.

  2. in luck, lucky; fortunate:We were in luck, for the bakery was still open.

  1. luck of the draw, the luck one has in or as if in drawing cards.

  2. out of luck, unlucky; unfortunate: When it comes to getting World Series tickets, we're usually out of luck.

  3. push one's luck, Informal. to try to make too much of an opportunity; go too far.: Also crowd one's luck.

Origin of luck

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English luk, from Middle Dutch luc, shortened from gelucke; cognate with German Glück

Words Nearby luck

Other definitions for Łuck (2 of 2)

Łuck
[ lootsk; Polish wootsk ]

noun
  1. Polish name of Lutsk.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use luck in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for luck

luck

/ (lʌk) /


noun
  1. events that are beyond control and seem subject to chance; fortune

  2. success or good fortune

  1. something considered to bring good luck

  2. down on one's luck having little or no good luck to the point of suffering hardships

  3. no such luck informal unfortunately not

  4. try one's luck to attempt something that is uncertain

Origin of luck

1
C15: from Middle Dutch luc; related to Middle High German gelücke, late Old Norse lukka, lykka

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with luck

luck

In addition to the idioms beginning with luck

  • luck into
  • luck of the devil
  • luck of the draw
  • luck out

also see:

  • as luck would have it
  • beginner's luck
  • down on one's luck
  • good luck
  • hard luck
  • in luck
  • out of luck
  • push one's luck
  • run of luck
  • take pot luck
  • tough break (luck)
  • try one's hand (luck)

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.