# What is the meaning of "lucked out?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 3, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919 "2005-07-03T15:36:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superstar89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@Superstar89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superstar89)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/1 "2005-07-03T15:36:14Z")
Why is it that when someone wants to say they got lucky they use the expression “lucked out” ? Shouldn’t they use a more appropriate expression such as “lucked in” ? I mean lucked out sounds as if they are out of luck. So why is it that people use this expression to illustrate their luck? ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/2 "2005-07-03T15:57:44Z")
Perhaps exploring all the possible meanings for the word out would be helpful. [Out](http://www.answers.com/out&r=67) A quick look netted this: To the fullest extent or degree: all decked out for the dance. In this sense, luck out would be the same as lucky to the fullest degree, which seems close enough for me. Words and expressions mean whatever people use them to mean. Logical or not. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/3 "2005-07-03T16:27:02Z")
In Australia, people kept saying the property market had “gone off” in certain areas. They meant “gone off” as in “exploded” or something (eg boomed) but the expression “gone off” could also mean the reverse - something negative. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/4 "2005-07-03T16:31:58Z")
> [@Superstar89](#): > > Why is it that when someone wants to say they got lucky they use the expression “lucked out” ? Shouldn’t they use a more appropriate expression such as “lucked in” ? I mean lucked out sounds as if they are out of luck. So why is it that people use this expression to illustrate their luck? One other possibility was that it was a contraction of ‘got out through luck.’ For instance: “I thought I was going to get stuck with jury duty for months and months, but one of the lawyers didn’t want young professionals, so I guess I lucked out.” (totally made-up example.) 🙂 I admit that I’ve heard ‘lucked out’ used in situations that apply more properly to ‘getting in’ (to a selective group, to a valuable opportunity) but I would tend to think of ‘lucking in’ for those situations and ‘lucking out’ of unpleasant responsibilities and punishment. Your vocab may vary. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/5 "2005-07-03T16:56:56Z")
Anyone want to compile two lists? One in which idioms and figures of speech have a logical basis and one in which they do not? Any guesses on the relative lengths of the two lists? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/6 "2005-07-03T18:08:37Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Anyone want to compile two lists? One in which idioms and figures of speech have a logical basis and one in which they do not? Any guesses on the relative lengths of the two lists? I really could care less. 😉 (Yes, I do consider that idiomatic and/or sarcastic, regardless of what grammar pedants might say…) ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/7 "2005-07-03T20:36:33Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Anyone want to compile two lists? One in which idioms and figures of speech have a logical basis and one in which they do not? Any guesses on the relative lengths of the two lists? Another interesting set of lists would be: [ul][1] Two word combinations using the word “out” [2] Two word combinations using the word “in” [3] Two word combinations using the word “up” [4] Two word combinations using the word “down” [/ul] Then justify the use of each core word, noting why one of the other core words wasn’t used instead. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/8 "2005-07-03T20:46:04Z")
You mean like why are there so many more people f_ **ing up than f** _ing down? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/9 "2005-07-03T21:43:26Z")
> [@Superstar89](#): > > Why is it that when someone wants to say they got lucky they use the expression “lucked out” ? Shouldn’t they use a more appropriate expression such as “lucked in” ? I mean lucked out sounds as if they are out of luck. So why is it that people use this expression to illustrate their luck? lucked out = (good) luck ran out ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/10 "2005-07-03T22:06:12Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > lucked out = (good) luck ran out I’m not sure what you mean by this. All the times I’ve heard or used the phrase “lucked out” it has always meant what the OP said, i.e. “I got lucky”, not “my luck ran out”. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/11 "2005-07-03T22:08:35Z")
> [@istara](#): > > In Australia, people kept saying the property market had “gone off” in certain areas. > > They meant “gone off” as in “exploded” or something (eg boomed) but the expression “gone off” could also mean the reverse - something negative. Usages that I’m familiar with in Australia: - the market has “taken off” when prices are increasing rapidly - the market has “gone off” when there’s a slowdown and properties aren’t selling as quickly as previously. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/12 "2005-07-04T01:57:57Z")
I looked up “out” on that [answers.com](http://answers.com) dictionary, and it completely omitted the compounding use of “off” to mean sexual gratification. Get off, suck off, etc. Since this is a productive compound in colloquial English, I expect the dictionaries to get with it. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2005, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/13 "2005-07-04T03:27:40Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > I looked up “out” on that [answers.com](http://answers.com) dictionary, and it completely omitted the compounding use of “off” to mean sexual gratification. Get off, suck off, etc. Since this is a productive compound in colloquial English, I expect the dictionaries to get with it. You mean, you expect the dictionaries to get on it? Or you expect them to get down with it? Or you expect them to get to it? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/14 "2005-07-05T06:30:58Z")
Oh, get off it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/15 "2005-07-05T07:10:38Z")
> [@RJKUgly](#): > > I’m not sure what you mean by this. > > All the times I’ve heard or used the phrase “lucked out” it has always meant what the OP said, i.e. “I got lucky”, not “my luck ran out”. That’s the way I’ve always heard it used. In spite of the fact that I was late and in the wrong place, I lucked out and just happened to see my wife waiting in front of a store. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-lucked-out/310919/16 "2005-07-05T11:17:55Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > That’s the way I’ve always heard it used. > > In spite of the fact that I was late and in the wrong place, I lucked out and just happened to see my wife waiting in front of a store. This example fits in with my theory too… the speaker got out of trouble through sheer luck. 🙂