Luck, Bad

Luck, Bad

albatross
killing it brings bad luck. [Br. Lit.: “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” in Norton, 597–610]
black cat
because of its demonic associations. [Animal Folklore: Jobes, 297]
black ox
sacrificed to Pluto; symbolic of calamity. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 790]
Candide
the hero and his relatives and friends stoically undergo an endless series of misfortunes. [Fr. Lit.: Candide]
dead man’s hand
two aces, two eights; hand Wild Bill Hickok held when murdered. [Am. Slang: Leach, 299]
eclipse
regarded as portent of misfortune. [World Folklore: Leach, 337]
Fawley, Jude
lost everything his heart desired. [Br. Lit.: Jude the Obscure]
Flying Dutchman
ominous spectral ship; seen in storms off Cape of Good Hope. [Marine Folklore: LLEI, I: 285]
Friday the 13th
regarded as unlucky day. [Western Folklore: Misc.]
Hope diamond
largest blue diamond known; believed to bring bad luck. [Western Culture: EB, V: 126]
Jonah
trying to escape God, brought tempest to sea. [O.T.: Jonah 1:4–12]
ladder
walking under one can bring only misfortune. [Western Folklore: Leach, 598]
mirror
the breaking of one brings seven years of bad luck. [Western Folklore: Cirlot, 211]
Mutt
compulsive gambler who always loses. [Comics: Berger, 48]
opal
unlucky stone; represents the Evil Eye. [Gem Symbolism: Kunz, 148, 320]
Plornish
disaster was his specialty. [Br. Lit.: Little Dorrit]
Ring of the Nibelungs
brought a curse on all who owned it. [Ger. Lit.: Benét, 860]
Seian Horse
ownership fatal. [Rom. Legend: Brewer Dictionary, 978]
shirt of Nessus
Centaur’s bloodied shirt; given to Heracles as gift by unsuspecting wife, it caused his death. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 708]
spilt salt
courts evil. [Rom. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 958; Ital. Art: “Last Supper”]
step on a crack
and break your mother’s back; advice to avoid walking on cracks in pavement. [Am. Folklore: Misc.]
thirteen
number attending Last Supper, including Judas; considered unlucky number. [Christian Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 1075; Western Folklore: Misc.]
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References in periodicals archive ?
Sami attributed his subsequent weak performances over the years to bad luck, bad form and fitness, and a large number of dropped catches off his bowling, but expressed the hope that he would do well in future.
'Excited' Sami out to prove a point in ICC World T20 Championship
It was not enough that all of Bulgaria's hopes for a respectable performance at the games have been crushed by bad luck, bad decisions, poor preparation and lack of funds, but now media reports suggest that Bulgaria's skiing federation had turned down a request by Russian Anastasia Kuzmina to represent the country at the Games.
If only it was true
With any luck, bad hair days will one day be a thing of the past.
Ingredients for a good hair: fed up with horrible hair? Chemistry can come to your rescue
Thomas has had his downs since then, largely through bad luck, bad injuries or a combination of both.
Galloping grey gets new term off to a flyer to delight jumping faithful; Tom O'Ryan is part of a huge Wetherby crowd who know the jumps season starts now - not May
Truly, these people are the wretched of the earth, plagued by bad weather, bad luck, bad security and most jarringly, bad government.
Two months after the flood, Pakistanis are still adrift
Bad luck, bad form, individual errors - myself included - it was tough.
ROGER & CLOUT; It's all on the manager's shoulders ' and I take that to heart. I really don't like the fact that our performances affect someone else's livelihood."
Operation Subsmash was put into action by Captain I McIntyre - but his efforts were beset by bad luck, bad timing and bad judgement.
Sinking of HMS Thetis off the Great Orme
could have added further but a combination luck, bad finishing goalkeeping kept to two.
DRIVING FORCE; Ibrox airman McCulloch powers in his 17th goal of the season as service recruits witness Gers' full-frontal assault on Blue Toon
An agency like ours, though, is only as strong as the Partnership C following bad luck, bad chemistry, bad casting and bad decision-making by me, we have finally got the chance to bring Anomaly proper to London.
Anomaly appoints Camilla Harrisson as CEO, Partner for London
Bieber's European tour has been plagued by bad luck, bad PR, but mostly bad songs.
Bieber's bad pot luck; RESULT! IN ASSOCIATION WITH with sports betting's top tipster DEREK McGOVERN E-MAIL ME AT: betsguru@aol.com
I don't want to dwell on bad luck, bad company or downright bad judgment, I just want to draw a line under 2014, wipe my mouth and move on.
GREET AND THE GOOD
Whether that is because of bad luck, bad play, low confidence, refereeing decisions, it doesn't matter.
'It would hurt me if this club was in Championship'

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