From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishluckluck1 /lʌk/ ●●● S2 W3 noun [uncountable] 1 successLUCKY (also good luck) good things that happen to you by chance You’re not having much luck today, are you? He’s had good luck with his roses this year. It was an incredible piece of luck.by luck It was only by luck that they managed to avoid hitting the rocks near the shore.2 → bad luck3 chanceCHANCE/BY CHANCE when good or bad things happen to people by chance Roulette is a game of luck.4 → with (any) luck/with a bit of luck5 → wish somebody (the best of) luck6 → good luck/best of luck7 → good luck to somebody8 → any luck?/no luck?9 → be in luck10 → be out of luck11 → do something for luck12 → just my luck13 → no such luck14 → better luck next time15 → as luck would have it16 → try/chance your luck17 → be down on your luck18 → the luck of the draw19 → some people have all the luck20 → bad/hard/tough luck21 → with/knowing somebody’s luck22 → worse luck23 → luck is on somebody’s side24 → (one) for luck → hard-luck story, → push your luck at push1(12)COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1,2, & 3adjectivesgood luckThese birds are said to bring good luck.bad luckHis bad luck continued.sheer/pure luck (=chance, and not skill or effort)She managed to catch hold of the rope by sheer luck.dumb luck American English (=sheer good luck, not influenced by anything you did)Sometimes I think my success was really just dumb luck.beginner’s luck (=good luck that happens when you first try something)He’d hit the center of the target. ‘Beginner’s luck, I guess, ’ he said.verbshave good/bad luckI’ve had a bit of bad luck.have more/less luckI hope you have more luck in the next competition.have no luck (also not have much/any luck) (=not be lucky or successful)I’d been looking for a job for weeks, but had had no luck.can’t believe your luck I couldn’t believe my luck as my number was called out!have the (good/bad) luck to do somethingHe had the good luck to meet a man who could help him.somebody’s luck holds (=they continue having good luck)Our luck held, and the weather remained fine.somebody’s luck runs out (=they stop having good luck)Finally my luck ran out and they caught me.bring somebody (good/bad) luckHe always carried the stone in his pocket; he reckoned it brought him luck.phrasesa piece/stroke of luck (=something good that happens by chance)What a piece of luck that he arrived when he did!a run of good/bad luck (=a series of good or bad things)The team has had a run of bad luck lately, losing their last five games.a matter of luck (=something that depends on chance)Winning is a matter of luck.an element of luck (=an amount of luck that is involved in something)There is always an element of luck when hiring someone for a job.THESAURUSluck noun [uncountable] when good or bad things happen to people by chanceThe game involves an element of luck as well as skill.chance noun [uncountable] the way that some things happen without being planned or caused by peopleI met her by chance on a plane to Tokyo.Like all top athletes, he leaves nothing to chance, and trains harder than anybody.fortune noun [uncountable] luck and the effect it has on your lifeI had the good fortune to work with some great people. The tour was dogged by ill fortune (=it had a lot of bad luck) from the start.Fortune has shone on the team so far this season (=they have been lucky).fate noun [uncountable] a power that some people believe controls what happens to people and which cannot be changed or stoppedFate dealt him a cruel blow with the death of his wife at the age of 32.It must have been fate that brought them together, and fate that tore them apart.We can’t just leave it to fate.providence noun [uncountable] a power which some people believe controls what happens in our lives and protects usDo you believe in divine providence (=God’s power to make things happen)?Her life was mapped out for her by providence.fluke noun [countable usually singular] informal something good that happens because of luckTheir second goal was a fluke.They won by a fluke.
Examples from the Corpus
luck• Did you have any luck with the job application?• With any luck we should reach the coast before it gets dark.• None the less, Williams has had his share of bad luck and trouble.• People milled past, skirting me as though I were bad luck.• It may still avoid one, by luck or by a decisive further tightening now.• I found the place purely by luck.• "Please let it be him, '' said Sara, keeping her fingers crossed for luck.• In the meantime, good luck, Raul.• The company knew that their run of good luck would not last forever.• If his luck held, no one would notice he had escaped for at least two hours.• If luck was on our side, the garage would have delivered our car by now.• Mr Li could with a little luck look forward to another 20 years of political life.• You're not having much luck today, are you?• I had the feeling my luck had changed for the better.• For once, my luck was holding well.• Dice is a game of luck.• You never know who you'll get as a roommate. It's just a matter of luck.• You'll need plenty of luck if you're hoping to succeed in the music business.• I got the right answer, but it was sheer luck.• This time, luck seemed to be with me.luckluck2 verb → luck out→ See Verb tableOrigin luck1 (1400-1500) Middle Dutch luk 