subs. phr. (old colloquial).—Whatever is going in the way of food and drink; an impromptu invitation; whence, a hearty welcome: TO TAKE POT-LUCK = to take the hazard of a meal. Hence POT-HUNTER = a self-invited guest.
1593. NASHE, Strange Newes [GROSART, Works, ii. 242]. This … greedy POTHUNTER after applause, is an apparent Publican and sinner; a selfe-loue surfetted sot. Ibid. (1600), Summer’s Last Will [GROSART, Works, vi. 131]. We had but euen POT-LUCK, a little to moysten our lips, and no more.
1749. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 71. He then offered us his crusts, and asked with a smile if we would TAKE POTLUCK with him.
1772. R. GRAVES, The Spiritual Quixote, bk. XIX. ch. xii. He should be very welcome TO TAKE POT-LUCK with him.
1814. Saxon and Gael, i. 55. If you … and my Leddy Mary, wad come in a canny way, and tak PAT-LUCK wi’ Jean and me … I gie nae dinner ae day but what I can gie ilka day in the year.
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (Sir Rupert the Fearless) (1862), 248.
| Quoth the lady, ‘Dear sir, no apologies, pray, | |
| You will TAKE our ‘POT-LUCK’ in the family way.’ |
1857. THACKERAY, The Virginians, lxxvi. “What! come to take POT-LUCK with us, Brown my boy? Betsy, put a knife and fork for Mr. Brown! Eat! Welcome! Fall to! It’s my best!”
1858. G. ELIOT, Amos Barton, i. He never contradicted Mrs. Hackit, a woman whose POT-LUCK was always to be relied on.
1870. Chambers’ Miscellany, No. 87, 6. “I’m going home to dinner, and you must TAKE POT-LUCK with us.”
1891. LEHMANN, Harry Fludyer at Cambridge, 38. I decided to accept a very kind invitation from Blofield to TAKE POT-LUCK with him and Mrs. Blofield yesterday in Grosvenor Gardens.
1898. The Saturday Review, 19 Nov., 657, 1. Whilst rival nations have been taking ‘POT-LUCK’ and helping themselves freely to whatever happened to be going.
1899. R. WHITEING, No. 5 John Street, xxv. He leaves the meeting, and accepts an invitation to POT-LUCK for the remainder of the revel from one of the Bacchanalian floors.
