Unlucky

a. [UN-¹ 7. Cf. WFris. on-, ûnlokkich, MLG. unluckich.]

  1.  Having an unfortunate character or issue; marked by misfortune or failure.

1530.  Palsgr., 328/2. Unluckye, meschant.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron. Hen. VI., 138 b. Accomptyng to hym their euil chaunce & vnluckey fortune.

1563.  Mirr. Mag., Somerset, xxxi. My life I lost in that vnlucky place.

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., II. iii. 251. Brought hither in a most vnluckie houre.

1609.  Rowlands, Dr. Merrie-man (1627), C 1 b. One … brake his Arme, And did complaine vnto a Friend Of his vnlucky harme.

1676.  Hobbes, Iliad, I. 200. To put an end to this unlucky strife.

1712.  Addison, Spect., No. 271, ¶ 4. This unlucky Accident happened to me in a Company of Ladies.

1829.  Lytton, Disowned, 79. It was the unluckiest step we ever made to admit him into the bosom of our family.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xvi. III. 721. The year which was closing had certainly been unlucky.

  2.  Boding or involving misfortune; ill-omened, inauspicious.

a. 1547.  Surrey, Æneid, II. 1026. Th’ unlucky figure of Creusaes ghost.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 382. The Scottes … thought John an unluckie name for a King.

1617.  Moryson, Itin., I. 61. The King and the Queen,… while sometimes they thought Munday, sometimes Friday, to be vnlucky daies, had lost many faire winds.

1686.  trans. Chardin’s Trav. Persia, 19. Nor do I know what unlucky star brought him to Constantinople.

1700.  Rowe, Amb. Step-Moth., III. i. Why do you urge my Father’s fatal Power To curse you with a sad unlucky Bride.

1843.  Prescott, Mexico (1850), I. 105. On the arrival of the five ‘unlucky’ days … they abandoned themselves to despair.

  3.  Having ill-luck; meeting with misfortune or mishap.

1552.  Huloet, Vnluckye, to be, or haue yll lucke, exauspicor.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 29 b. You muste haue respecte also that this newe Empire … be not made vnlucky and vnfortunate.

1627.  J. Taylor (Water P.), Navy of Land Ships, Wks. (1630), 79/1. Some Ships … are so vnlucky, that they neuer make a good voyage.

1673.  S’too him Bayes, 4. Thou are the unluckyest disputant in the world.

1807.  Crabbe, Par. Reg., I. 705. The unlucky peasant heard the stranger’s cry.

1896.  Howells, Impressions & Exp., 239. A pair of grim old ladies, who … lived … aloof from their unluckier sisters.

  4.  Bringing ill-luck; causing mishap or harm; mischievous, malicious.

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, I. xi. By an unluckye blow the poore Philoxenus fell dead at his feete.

1598.  R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Phormio, II. ii. Are you vnluckie varlot so ready to doe euerie thing against me?

1713.  Addison, Spect., No. 343, ¶ 9. An unlucky Cock-Sparrow that … had before made great depredations upon our Commonwealth.

1727.  [Dorrington], Philip Quarll (1816), 72. These unlucky instruments, which were intended for destruction, shall be employed for … preservation.

1768–74.  Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), I. 571. Schoolmasters may not be displeased at unlucky tricks played by their lads.

1875–.  in many dialect glossaries (Eng. Dial. Dict.).

  b.  Of a horse: Bad-tempered, vicious.

1707.  Mortimer, Husb., 151. If he [sc. the stallion] be unlucky and mad.

  5.  Of an unfortunate or regrettable nature; not entitled to commendation.

1628.  Feltham, Resolves, II. l. 146. In some vnlucky dispositions, there is such an enuious kinde of Pride.

1671.  trans. Charente’s Let. Customs Mauritania, 18. There would be much greater [plenty], if it was not for the unlucky custom of those people to bury their Gold.

1746.  Francis, trans. Horace, Epist., I. i. 137. If some unlucky Barber notch my Hair.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., i. Mannering resolved … to halt for the night … unless he could procure a guide to this unlucky village of Kippletringan.