From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe down on your luckbe down on your luckPOORto have no money because you have had a lot of bad luck over a long period of time When someone is down on their luck, friends are very difficult to find. → luck
Examples from the Corpus
be down on your luck• In the film, Williams plays a down-on-his luck salesman whose wife has left him.• We bought the necklace from an old man who was down on his luck and in need of a penny or two.• He was down on his luck and not a happy hedgehog.• All were down on their luck, all had been drinking and all had decided on an easy way out.• Families that were down on their luck could get a small loan, food, a job referral.• Here, parents who are down on their luck can pick out toys for their children.• The program is for motivated people who are temporarily down on their luck. 