luck

Formslucks, lucking, lucked

1. 1
   successnoununcountable

   Good fortune or success, especially when it comes by chance rather than through effort, as in 'any luck?' or 'sheer luck'.

   After months of searching, he finally had some luck on the job market.

   We tried three different stores but had no luck finding the part.

   UsageUsually have (some, no) luck + -ing: no luck finding the part; any luck with the job?

   Similarsuccess, fortune

   Oppositemisfortune, failure

2. 2
   chancenoununcountable

   Chance that determines what happens to someone, sometimes regarded as a force bringing good or bad fortune.

   Like a coin toss deciding which way things fall.

   The outcome was decided by luck more than by anyone's choices.

   Good or bad, luck shapes much of what happens to us.

   UsageSay good luck or bad luck (not incorrect: a good luck). Set phrase: as luck would have it.

3. 3
   find by chanceverbcolloquialintransitive

   To find or obtain something fortunate purely by chance rather than by design.

   He lucked into a job offer through a friend he hadn't seen in years.

   Researchers sometimes luck upon important findings while studying something unrelated.

   UsageUsually followed by into, onto or upon: luck into a job, luck onto a good deal.

   Similarstumble, chance, happen

   Note

   Riaan Manser's Around Africa On My Bicycle (2007) has him lucking on a backpackers' lodge half-hidden behind trees, which is typical of its relaxed, conversational register. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

   • Riaan Manser wrote Around Africa on My Bicycle, first published in 2007. selectbooks.co.za
   • The book describes Manser lucking on a backpackers' lodge half-hidden behind trees. en.wiktionary.org

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