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Continuing from where we left off In Part 1, today I’d like to introduce some lucky actions as well as some idioms related to luck in Part 2 of this series.
Lucky actions
There are also some expressions related to actions that can be taken to bring good luck or prevent bad luck. For example, you can wish someone good luck by saying “I’ll cross my fingers for you!” Crossing one’s fingers is a superstition that is considered to bring good luck.
Ex. A: I have a big test coming up tomorrow.B: I’ll cross my fingers for you! (= Good luck!)
Alternatively, you can say “Knock on wood” to ward off bad luck, especially when you have just said something that you think might jinx you (bring you bad luck).
Ex. A: How’s your new computer so far?B: So far, so good! Knock on wood.
(Speaker B believes that by saying everything is fine, he/she might be inviting bad luck, so he/she says “Knock on wood” to prevent that bad luck.)
Idioms related to luck
To be down on one’s luck: to be experiencing a period of misfortune or bad luck (often with financial difficulties)
Ex. “They’re down on their luck, having lost their home and all their possessions.”
To be in/out of luck: to able/unable to have or do what you want
Ex. A: Do you have any tuna sandwiches?B: You’re in luck - there’s one left.
Just my luck: something that you say when something bad happen to you
Ex. They sold the last ticket five minutes before I got there - just my luck!
With (any) luck: expressing the hope that something will happen the way you want
Ex. With (any) luck, we’ll get there in time! (= I hope we get there in time!)
No such luck: expressing disappointment that something you hoped for did not happen
Ex. I was hoping that school would be cancelled today, but no such luck. (= I was hoping that school would be cancelled today, but it wasn’t.)
To push one’s luck: to take a risk on the assumption that you will continue to be successful/lucky
Ex. I won $500 at the casino, but I didn’t want to push my luck, so I stopped playing and went home.
Well, I hope that these words and phrases will come in handy when you’re talking about luck in English. Until next time, take care and good luck!
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