hard luck

Misfortune, adversity, as in He's had a lot of hard luck in his day. This expression is also used in the phrase hard-luck story, a tale of one's misfortune that is related in order to get sympathy (or a donation). For example, We can't ignore her hard-luck story, even if you doubt that it's true. [Second half of 1500s] Also see tough break.

Words nearby hard luck

hard landing, hard lens, hard light, hard line, hard liquor, hard luck, hard maple, hard mass, hard money, hard neck, hard news

Example sentences from the Web for hard-luck

I probably need to be clear straight off that I am not presenting myself as any kind of hard-luck case.

The Obamacare Ripoff: More Money for Less Insurance |David Frum |October 29, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
This is a woman who came out of the kind of hard-luck story that she handles so well, and built an enormous media empire.

Can Lance Armstrong Save OWN? |Megan McArdle |January 14, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
After a hard-luck few years, the pro-wrestling pioneer is re-entering the ring with a big adult-film release.

From Wrestling to Porn |Chris Lee |June 28, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
Good Lord, the hard-luck stories I hear every day of my life.

The Shuttle |Frances Hodgson Burnett

I found Scotty in the engine room of a speedy gasoline craft and pried his mouth open with a hard-luck story.

Fighting Byng |A. Stone
As Leonidas and me does the anti-famine act Homer unloads his hard-luck wheeze.

Shorty McCabe |Sewell Ford
But there's no need going into my hard-luck story; it's like a lot of our stories here.

Stories That End Well |Octave Thanet
Yes—for I don't want to hear any hard-luck stories now, when I'm eating.

Lucky Pehr |August Strindberg

BROWSE DICTIONARY

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hard luck

Words nearby hard luck

Example sentences from the Web for hard-luck