good luckn.int.adj.
/(ˌ)ɡʊd ˈlʌk/, U.S. /ˌɡʊd ˈlək/ A. n.
A combination of favourable circumstances or events occurring by chance; success, prosperity, or advantage apparently brought about by chance rather than through one's own actions or abilities; a person's apparent tendency to have good fortune; = luck n. 3a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > [noun] > good fortune
hapc1225
whatec1330
fortune1390
felicity1393
good luck1481
lucka1500
Lady Lucka1535
happiness1540
goodhap1557
faustity1656
serendipity1754
kokum1851
bonanza1878
1481 W. Caxton tr. Hist. Reynard Fox (1970) 15 Tho thought reynart, this is good luck [Du. Doe docht reynaer Ghelucke moest des wouden].
1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Kings i. 47 The kynges seruauntes are gone in to wysh good lucke vnto oure lorde kynge Dauid.
1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Eng. 84/1 in Chron. I How pleasant and easefull the good lucke of those princes.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) iii. v. 77 As good lucke [1602 God] would haue it, comes in one Mist. Page. View more context for this quotation
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan i. x. 41 The secret working of God, which men call Good Luck.
1684 E. Halley Solid Probl. in Miscellanea Curiosa (Royal Soc.) (1706) II. 96 'Tis my good Luck to hit upon a certain Geometrick Effection of the central Rule.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver I. i. i. 10 By good luck, I had on me a Buff Jerkin, which they could not pierce.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VII. 223 The Boyuna of Ceylon is equally a favourite among the natives; and they consider the meeting it as a sign of good luck.
1816 J. Austen Emma I. viii. 127 A general cry-out upon her extreme good luck.
1858 R. A. Vaughan Ess. & Remains I. 13 The indolent..gaze in amazement on results which they attribute to the good luck of a rival.
1898 Argosy Aug. 158 I climbed wearily some few hundred feet, and then had the good luck to see an oyster catcher rise from her nest.
1932 A. Christie Peril at End House v. 70 We saw a lot of messy-looking shacks, and then by good luck we found this.
1946 C. Bush Case Second Chance x. 134 The pieces of the jigsaw were there, even if it was to take time and good luck to fit them together.
2009 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 10 Feb. a9/5 The dragon dance..is believed to bring good luck, prosperity and nourishing rains.
B. int.
Expressing good wishes for someone's success, or support for someone taking a course of action attended by difficulties or risks. Frequently with to, later frequently in dismissive or ironic contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > [interjection] > good luck
goder-heala1225
good luck1530
(the) best of luck1859
merde1961
1530 Bible (Tyndale) xxx. f. xliv Than sayde Lea: good lucke [Heb. bā' gāḏ, lit. ‘luck has come’]: and called his name Gad.
1560 Nice Wanton sig. A.iiiiv God a mercy Dalila, good lucke, I warrant the, I wil shryue you both by and by.
1611 G. Chapman May-day iii. 55 Why then Ancient good lucke t'ee.
1676 T. Shadwell Libertine i. 11 We'll not dispute your commands. Good luck to you.
1734 T. Cooke tr. Terence Stepmother i. ii, in tr. Terence Comedys I. 293 Well, good Luck to You.
1805 E. Cavanagh Let. 4 Oct. in M. Wilmot & C. Wilmot Russ. Jrnls. (1934) ii. 187 ‘Well to be sure,’ sais I. ‘Russia! & good luck to you, you are a comical place!’
1870 Daily News 30 Dec. His hail was pleasant, and we bade him ‘Good-bye and good luck’.
1871 Good Words 12 761/1 Two women..whispered loudly, in malicious tones, ‘There they go, good luck to 'em!’
1907 Pall Mall Mag. Dec. 810/2 ‘Good luck!’ shouted the station boss.
1971 S. Howatch Penmarric (1972) ii. vi. 204 ‘Well, good luck to her,’ said Mark, shrugging the incident away... ‘I hope she's happy.’
1995 J. Banville Athena 114 ‘Toodle-oo now, Mr M.,’ Hackett said, ‘and good luck to you.’
2002 J. McGahern That they may face Rising Sun (2003) 9 ‘Good luck, Bill,’ Jamesie called out amiably.
C. adj. (attributive).
Usually hyphenated. Designating an object kept as a talisman or lucky mascot, or a gift or other expression of good wishes (such as a kiss, hug, etc.) given to another for support or success in a difficult or risky course of action.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > [adjective] > favoured or attended by good fortune > auspicious
goodOE
fortunatec1400
luckyc1450
fortunablec1465
sonsyc1540
propitious1581
auspicate1603
auspicial1614
auspicious1616
well1633
silly1650
auspical1656
candid1715
well-omened1720
good luck1761
1761 Sc. Portmanteau opened at York 137 His pecuniary Talismans or, in the vulgar Phrase, good Luck Pieces.
1839 M. Howitt Hymns & Fire-side Verses 200 We will lay A good-luck-penny in her path.
1882 Sunday Republican-Sentinel (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) 24 Sept. 11/6 It [sc. the figure of a hanged man]..is the popular good-luck charm of the hour.
1942 M. McCarthy Company she Keeps (1943) v. 130 He was a mascot, a good-luck piece.
1958 Photoplay Oct. 54/2 We have received some good-luck telegrams and letters.
1977 Ebony Feb. 124/2 (caption) Snuggle up for a good luck kiss before gaining points in the snow.
1990 G. Plimpton Best of Plimpton i. ii. 36 He appeared on the day of the fight and gave me the tibia of an Arctic hare as a good-luck token.
2007 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 4 Nov. iia. 16/5 At first Otilia seems like a typical college girl..giving her boyfriend a good-luck snuggle before he takes an important exam.
Phrases
P1. to drink good luck (formerly also †to drink a good luck): to make a toast to a person's future success. Usually with to.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (intransitive)] > drink intoxicating liquor > drink toasts or healths
hailc1275
to drink (a person's) hailc1325
to drink good lucka1529
pledge1546
carouse1583
skola1599
to drink off (or eat) candle-ends1600
health1628
to begin to a person1629
bumper1691
toast1699
to drink hob or nob, hob a nob1756
hob-nob1763
hobber-nob1800
to look towards (a person)1833
propine1887
ganbei1940
a1529 J. Skelton Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng in Certayne Bks. (?1545) 567 Wyth that she begynnes The pot to her plucke, And dranke a good lucke.
1572 J. Higgins Huloets Dict. (rev. ed.) Quaff halfes, all, or to drinke good lucke one to an other.
1788 Album of Streatham (ed. 2) 73 Ordered a bottle of best Burgundy..and drank good luck to Sydney.
1871 A. E. Bray Hartland Forest vii. 121 Nothing could exceed the boisterous joy of the whole assembly, both within and without the house. A cask of the best cider was set a-broach to drink a good luck to the harvesters.
1936 N. E. Jacob Time Piece ii. vi. 164 Come into my office and we'll drink good luck to Bower's and their designer.
2003 R. N. White Prince & Yankee ii. ix. 115 I ordered a bottle of wine to drink good luck to the Emperor.
P2. In phrases more commonly found with simply luck.
a. for good luck: = for luck at luck n. Phrases 3c.
ΚΠ
1542 T. Elyot Bibliotheca at Herculanus nodus The newe maryed bryde..shoulde be gyrte with a woullen gyrdelle knyt with Hercules knotte, whyche the housbande for good lucke shulde vndoo in the bedde.
1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue i. ix. sig. Cii Nowe for good lucke, cast an olde shoe after mee.
1631 P. Fletcher Sicelides iii. iv. sig. F3 I was making my supplantation to Trustie Triton for good lucke, and see if he haue not heard mee: our nets are returnd.
1664 F. Gouldman Copious Dict. i. at Fig Figs, nuts or dates, which the Athenians used to pour on the heads of..new brides for good luck.
1701 G. Farquhar Sir Harry Wildair iv. 32 I sacrifice a Louis-d'Or to thee for good luck.
1787 F. Grose Provinc. Gloss. Superstitions 64 It is a common practice among the lower class of hucksters..on receiving the price of the first goods sold that day, which they call hansel, to spit on the money..for good luck.
1835 True Sun 15 Dec. 1/3 A piece of an old horse-shoe, which he had pocketed for good luck.
1882 Cent. Mag. Nov. 68/1 It was sprinkled in their fish-weirs for good luck.
1966 Mrs. L. B. Johnson Diary 1 Jan. (1970) 346 We had ham and black-eyed peas for good luck at New Year's.
2002 Philadelphia Inquirer 29 Dec. b5/1 Basil Cakes,..baked with a coin inside, are given for good luck in the new year.
b. no such good luck: = no such luck at luck n. Phrases 2d.
ΚΠ
1790 T. Wilkinson Mem. Own Life II. 93 He won't cut his throat, no such good luck.
1857 C. M. Yonge Dynevor Terrace II. xii. 176 ‘When you break down anywhere, send me a telegraph.’ ‘No such good luck,’ sighed Clara.
1909 K. D. Wiggin Susanna & Sue iv. 81 Of course he should n't die,—no such good luck.
2000 New Straits Times (Malaysia) (Nexis) 19 Dec. 1 To a question about whether any minister had conveyed their intention to quit, Dr Mahathir said: ‘No, no such good luck’.
P3. to be good luck: (of an action, event, thing, etc.) to be a sign of future success; to be auspicious or lucky. Usually with anticipatory it and infinitive as complement, as it is good luck to.
ΚΠ
1576 T. Twyne Schoolemaster iv. viii. sig. Pii Of a knight that said, it was good lucke to meete a priest in a morning.
1658 H. Edmundson Comes Facundus in Via: Fellow-traveller 55 There is an old superstitious saying among common people, that if an Hare crosse the way it is bad luck, but if a Woolf it is good luck.
1809 E. Sandham Adventures of Poor Puss ii. iii. 129 It is good luck they say to have a strange cat come into your house.
1894 Cent. Mag. Apr. 960/2 Though 't is always good luck t' court Widdy McGee.
1916 Pedagogical Seminary Dec. 447 It is good luck to carry a rabbit's foot or a four-leaf clover.
1962 Western Folklore 21 102 A corn cob behind the ear is good luck.
2010 M. Caine Elephant to Hollywood xvii. 224 I have a superstition about mulberry trees: if you plant one and it grows it is good luck.
P4. Proverb. an ounce of good luck is worth a pound of wisdom and variants.Compare more common parallels at ounce n.1 1c.
ΚΠ
1696 J. Ray Nomenclator Classicus 77 An Ounce of Good Luck is worth a Pound of Wisdom.
1755 T. Smollett tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote II. iii. x. 258 A pound of good luck is worth a tun of merit [Sp. y aquí entra y encaja bien el decir que hay buena y mala fortuna en las pretensiones].
1989 Hobart Mercury (Nexis) 1 May We're not particularly a wet-weather team... An ounce of good luck in those conditions is better than 10 tons of good management.
P5. more by good luck than (good) judgement: see luck n. Phrases 2b.
Compounds
ΚΠ
1818 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 33 10 There is the ‘good-luck shilling’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.int.adj.1481