---
title: luck — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «luck» in the school dictionary: Luck is when good or bad things happen by chance, not because of what you did. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# luck

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Luck, you, Good luck, chance, bad luck, he · **What happens:** be, do, go, not do, say, wish · **To what, where:** way, Good luck, someone success, 3 blue socks, luck, 6 · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«luck» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [luck in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/luck.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Luck is when good or bad things happen by chance, not because of what you did.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:m1:1
# text = Luck is when good or bad things happen by chance, not because of what you did.
1	Luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
3	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
4	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	happen	happen	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	15	advmod	_	_
13	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	15	case	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	conj	_	_
16	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
17	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Luck |  |  |  |  | by chance; happen *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | past | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Good luck is when chance goes your way; bad luck is when it does not.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:m2:1
# text = Good luck is when chance goes your way; bad luck is when it does not.
1	Good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	6	mark	_	_
5	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
13	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	ccomp	_	_
16	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | Good luck |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | present | chance | your way |  |  |  |  | vn meander-47.7 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location way=Theme |
| 3 | **be** | present | bad luck |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **not** **do** | present | luck |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Good luck!» is said to wish someone success.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:m3:1
# text = «Good luck!» is said to wish someone success.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	wish	wish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	compound	_	_
11	success	success	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | Good luck |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **wish** | to-infinitive |  | someone success |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot success=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
With bad luck, he picks 3 blue socks first.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x1:1
# text = With bad luck, he picks 3 blue socks first.
1	With	with	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	picks	pick	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
8	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	socks	sock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
10	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pick** | present | he | 3 blue socks |  |  |  | with bad luck; first *property* | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sock=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She had good luck and found $5.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x2:1
# text = She had good luck and found $5.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	$	$	SYM	$	_	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | She | good luck |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent luck=Patient |
| 2 | **find** | past | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent $=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It takes luck to roll a 6.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x3:1
# text = It takes luck to roll a 6.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	roll	roll	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | It | luck |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent luck=Theme |
| 2 | **roll** | to-infinitive |  | a 6 |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent 6=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Good luck on your test!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x4:1
# text = Good luck on your test!
1	Good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **test** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom test «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was just luck that we found the lost ring.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x5:1
# text = It was just luck that we found the lost ring.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	just	just	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	obj	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	ring	ring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | luck |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **find** | past | we | luck |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent that=Theme ring=Attribute |
| 3 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You are in luck; there is one cake left.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x6:1
# text = You are in luck; there is one cake left.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
6	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	7	expl	_	_
7	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
10	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | You |  |  | luck |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** | present | one cake |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **leave** | participle |  | one cake *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Winning that game was beginner's luck.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x7:1
# text = Winning that game was beginner's luck.
1	Winning	win	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	csubj	_	_
2	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
3	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	beginner	beginner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | gerund |  | that game |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent game=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | past | Winning | beginner's luck |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hard work matters more than luck.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x8:1
# text = Hard work matters more than luck.
1	Hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	matters	matter	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	3	advmod	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **matter** | present | Hard work |  |  |  |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Well, luck was ever against me!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:luck:x9:1
# text = Well, luck was ever against me!
1	Well	well	INTJ	UH	_	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	7	advmod	_	_
6	against	against	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | luck |  |  |  | ever | against me | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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