a. (In 6 superl. lucklest.) [f. LUCK sb. + -LESS.]
1. Having no luck or good fortune; attended with ill-luck; unlucky, hapless, ill-starred, unfortunate. (of persons and things.)
1563. Sackville, Induct. Mirr. Mag., xvii. The drery destinie And luckeles lot for to bemone of those, Whom Fortune [etc.].
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1598), 389. Mine is the lucklest lot, That euer fell to honest woman yet.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. vi. 19. Glad of such lucke, the luckelesse lucky mayd.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. vi. 18. I, and ten thousand in this lucklesse Realme.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., VIII. 81. Let the whelming Tide, The lifeless Limbs of luckless Damon hide.
1782. Cowper, Gilpin, 201. Ah, luckless speech, and bootless boast!
1874. Green, Short Hist., v. § 1. 213. [Chaucer] was luckless enough to be made prisoner.
1876. L. Stephen, Eng. Th. 18th C., I. 102. It was a luckless performance so far as his temporal interests were concerned.
† 2. Presaging or foreboding evil, ominous of ill.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., XII. xxxiv. On his dangling crest A lucklesse Raven spred her blackest wings.
1637. B. Jonson, Sad Sheph., II. ii. The shreikes of lucklesse Owles Wee heare! and croaking Night-Crowes in the aire.
Hence Lucklessly adv., Lucklessness.
1830. H. Angelo, Remin., I. 452. When lucklessly engaging to subdue a fine Arabian he was thrown, and was killed on the spot.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., V. 44. Show men the lucklessness, the improvidence Of the easy-natured Count.
1876. Green, Stray Stud., 368. Michelet has with singular lucklessness selected Angers as the type of a feudal city.