Luck: definition and idioms

luck
1 luck
Luck or good luck is success or good things that happen to you, that do not come from your own abilities or efforts.
I knew I needed a bit of luck to win.
The Sri Lankans have been having no luck with the weather.
The goal, when it came, owed more to good luck than good planning.
N-UNCOUNT

2 luck
Bad luck is lack of success or bad things that happen to you, that have not been caused by yourself or other people.
I had a lot of bad luck during the first half of this season.
Randall's illness was only bad luck.
N-UNCOUNT

3 luck
If you ask someone the question `Any luck?' or `No luck?', you want to know if they have been successful in something they were trying to do. (INFORMAL)
`Any luck?'n`No.'
CONVENTION

4 luck
You can say `Bad luck', `Hard luck', or `Tough luck' to someone when you want to express sympathy to them. (INFORMAL)
Well, hard luck, mate.
CONVENTION formulae

5 luck
If you say that something brings bad luck or brings someone good luck, you believe that it has an influence on whether good or bad things happen to them.
Jean was extremely superstitious and believed the colour green brought bad luck.
PHR: V inflects

6 luck
If you describe someone as down on their luck, you mean that they have had bad experiences, often because they do not have enough money.
PHR: usu v-link PHR

7 luck
If you say that something is the luck of the draw, you mean that it is the result of chance and you cannot do anything about it.
The luck of the draw meant the young lad had to face one of America's best players.
PHR

8 luck
If you say `Good luck' or `Best of luck' to someone, you are telling them that you hope they will be successful in something they are trying to do. (INFORMAL)
He kissed her on the cheek. `Best of luck!'
CONVENTION formulae

9 luck
You can say someone is in luck when they are in a situation where they can have what they want or need.
You're in luck. The doctor's still in.
PHR: V inflects

10 luck
If you say it is just your luck that something unpleasant has happened to you, you mean that this is quite normal because unpleasant things are always happening to you. (INFORMAL)
It would be just his luck to miss the last boat.
PHR: V inflects

11 luck
If you say that someone is out of luck, you mean that they cannot have something which they can normally have.
`What do you want, Roy? If it's money, you're out of luck.'
PHR: V inflects

12 luck
You can say `No such luck' when you want to express your disappointment over something. (INFORMAL)
He must have been hoping for a relaxed time. No such luck.
CONVENTION

13 luck
If you say that someone is pushing their luck, you think they are taking a bigger risk than is sensible, and may get into trouble.
I didn't dare push my luck too far and did not ask them to sign statements.
PHR: V inflects

14 luck
If you say that luck was on someone's side, you mean that they succeeded in something by chance as well as by their own efforts or ability.
Rick seems to have had luck on his side during his 12-year acting career.
PHR: V inflects

15 luck
If someone tries their luck at something, they try to succeed at it, often when it is very difficult or there is little chance of success.
She was going to try her luck at the Las Vegas casinos.
PHR: V inflects

16 luck
You can add with luck or with any luck to a statement to indicate that you hope that a particular thing will happen. (INFORMAL)
We'll have a long talk and a good cry and then with any luck we'll both feel better.
PHR: PHR with cl feelings

pot luck: see pot.
(c) HarperCollins Publishers.

Audio Key for the luck quiz (class photocopies)

luck_key.mp3

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