Luck Meaning
Luck Definition & Usage
The force that causes things to happen in a way that is favorable or beneficial, often perceived as being out of one's control. Typically associated with chance or fortune.
Examples
- "She was just in the right place at the right time – pure luck!"
- "He has the luck of the Irish, always winning prizes wherever he goes."
- "My luck ran out when I missed the last train home."
- "They attributed their success to good luck rather than skill."
- "Winning the lottery was a stroke of luck; nobody expected it."
A specific event or occurrence that is perceived as either fortunate or unfortunate, often used in the singular form as 'a lucky event.'
Examples
- "Finding that job offer in the mailbox was a lucky break."
- "Their sudden success in business was just a lucky coincidence."
- "It was sheer luck that the car didn’t hit the pedestrian."
- "I had a lucky escape when the plane made an emergency landing."
- "They had a lucky day at the casino and went home with a fortune."
To have an outcome that is favorable or fortunate, often used with the preposition 'out' to imply a sudden or unexpected turn of events.
Examples
- "I lucked out and got the last ticket to the concert."
- "She lucked into a great deal on her new car."
- "We lucked out with the weather during our hiking trip."
- "He lucked into winning the grand prize at the raffle."
- "They were able to luck out of paying the late fees by explaining the situation."
Cultural Context
Luck has long been a subject of fascination in various cultures, often seen as a force beyond human control that can favor or hinder an individual. In Western cultures, symbols like four-leaf clovers, horseshoes, and lucky numbers (e.g., 7) are often associated with good luck, while black cats and broken mirrors are considered bad luck.
A Stroke of Luck
Story
A Stroke of Luck
Lena had always been a skeptic when it came to luck. She never believed that some invisible force was behind her successes or failures. To her, everything was the result of hard work or, more often than not, sheer chance. But today, as she stood in front of the old coffee shop on Main Street, she had to admit that something unusual was happening. She had just narrowly missed a bus when a friendly woman, noticing her panic, offered her a ride. To Lena's surprise, the woman turned out to be a headhunter for a tech company she had been trying to get into for months. This, Lena thought, was the definition of a 'lucky break.' The drive to the office was short, but during those few minutes, Lena found herself in a whirlwind of opportunities. The woman spoke about her company's plans, and Lena felt the thrill of what might just be the chance of a lifetime. "You know, you really lucked out today," the woman said with a smile, and Lena couldn't help but agree. It was one of those moments in life when you felt like the universe was aligning just for you. That evening, as Lena recounted her day to her friend Hannah, she couldn't stop talking about how lucky she had been. "I don't believe in luck, but today... maybe I got lucky. It was more than coincidence. It was fate." Later that week, Lena got the job offer. She was over the moon, but as she thought back on the events that led her there, she realized that while she could attribute it to luck, she also had to acknowledge her persistence. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't all just luck after all. The story of Lena’s unexpected encounter wasn’t just about luck, it was a lesson in timing, opportunity, and the unpredictable nature of life. In the end, Lena couldn't shake the feeling that the best things in life were often just a little bit of luck mixed with a lot of hard work and preparation.
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