push one's luck

verb

To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

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Meanings

verbpush one's luck (third-person singular simple present pushes one's luck, present participle pushing one's luck, simple past and past participle pushed one's luck)

present singular third person pushes one's luck · participle present pushing one's luck · participle past pushed one's luck · past pushed one's luck

  1. idiomaticTo take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.

    The jury had little choice but to free the killer. Sane enough at least not to push his luck, Sledge immediately left the state.

    1967 December 29, “Quick Cure for a Killer”, in Time
    1 more example

    I don’t think I really treat you that special / Chase a pretty girl who actually gets you / Brutally honest and for that I applaud you (Skrrt, skrrt) / Boy just give it up, you’re really pushing your luck uh

    2021, City Girl, tiffi, “PACK IT UP BOY”, in C-GIRL, performed by tiffi

Translations

Czech pokoušet štěstí
  • pokoušet štěstíTranslations
Finnish koettaa onneaan
  • koettaa onneaanTranslations
French pousser sa chance
  • pousser sa chanceTranslations
German sein Glück herausfordern
  • sein Glück herausfordernTranslations
Japanese 図に乗る, 付け上がる
  • 図に乗る (zu ni noru)Translations
  • 付け上がる (tsukeagaru)Translations
  • 調子に乗る (chōshi ni noru)Translations
Polish igrać z losem
  • igrać z losemTranslations
Portuguese esticar-se
  • esticar-seTranslations
Spanish tanto va el cántaro a la fuente que al final se rompe, arriesgarse
  • tanto va el cántaro a la fuente que al final se rompeTranslations
  • arriesgarseTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

push one's luck. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/push%20one's%20luck

MLA

“push one's luck.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/push%20one's%20luck. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “push one's luck,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/push%20one's%20luck.

Source: push one's luck on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.