a. (In 6 superl. lucklest.) [f. LUCK sb. + -LESS.]

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  1.  Having no ‘luck’ or good fortune; attended with ill-luck; unlucky, hapless, ill-starred, unfortunate. (of persons and things.)

2

1563.  Sackville, Induct. Mirr. Mag., xvii. The drery destinie And luckeles lot for to bemone of those, Whom Fortune [etc.].

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a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1598), 389. Mine is the lucklest lot, That euer fell to honest woman yet.

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1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. vi. 19. Glad of such lucke, the luckelesse lucky mayd.

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1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. vi. 18. I, and ten thousand in this lucklesse Realme.

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1697.  Dryden, Virg. Past., VIII. 81. Let the whelming Tide, The lifeless Limbs of luckless Damon hide.

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1782.  Cowper, Gilpin, 201. Ah, luckless speech, and bootless boast!

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1874.  Green, Short Hist., v. § 1. 213. [Chaucer] was luckless enough to be made prisoner.

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1876.  L. Stephen, Eng. Th. 18th C., I. 102. It was a luckless performance so far as his temporal interests were concerned.

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  † 2.  Presaging or foreboding evil, ominous of ill.

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1633.  P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., XII. xxxiv. On his dangling crest A lucklesse Raven spred her blackest wings.

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1637.  B. Jonson, Sad Sheph., II. ii. The shreikes of lucklesse Owles Wee heare! and croaking Night-Crowes in the aire.

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  Hence Lucklessly adv., Lucklessness.

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1830.  H. Angelo, Remin., I. 452. When lucklessly engaging to subdue a fine Arabian … he was thrown, and … was killed on the spot.

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1868.  Browning, Ring & Bk., V. 44. Show men the lucklessness, the improvidence Of the easy-natured Count.

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1876.  Green, Stray Stud., 368. Michelet has with singular lucklessness selected Angers as the type of a feudal city.

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