Blind Luck Meaning
Definition: Something good that has happened by chance.
If something happens by blind luck, it has happened by a surprise chance, with no skill involved in the outcome. Many times, when something good happens to a person by blind luck, that person did not realize that he was taking a risk or that he could have a favorable outcome to his situation.
The phrase blind luck is always used to describe a chance situation. In speech and writing, it would not make sense to wish someone blind luck or describe someone as blindly lucky.
Origin of Blind Luck
The Greek goddess Tyche (Fortuna to the Romans) is likely the inspiration for this idiom. As the goddess of luck, she had the ability to cause favorable or destructive events on people at random.
In iconography, Tyche was sometimes depicted wearing a blindfold, dispersing blessings at random. Therefore, those who received any blessings from her were receiving them by blind luck.
Examples of Blind Luck
If someone were to win the lottery, he or she would win by blind luck because there is no skill involved in playing the lottery. If someone is new to a board game, he or she may also credit any winnings to blind luck because he/she has not yet developed much skill or strategy.
Blind luck can work in other ways, too. Two people who meet and become friends because they were, by chance, in the same line at the grocery store would have become friends by blind luck. They would not have met without the element of luck.
Blind luck can also save someone from a negative consequence. If a car stalls out and gets stuck on the side of the road, a person might feel unfortunate at first. Later, he may find out that his route would have taken him past a shooting, and he will thank his blind luck for keeping him safe.
More Examples
- Comedian Betty White — currently enjoying a career resurgence at age 88 — said Wednesday that she credits her longevity in the entertainment industry to “sheer blind luck.” –CNN
- Research shows it’s ‘blind luck’ that asteroids haven’t destroyed a major city yet –Yahoo News
Summary
Blind luck brings an unexpected or chance benefit.
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