jammy stroke of luck
- noun
- /ˈdʒæmi strəʊk əv lʌk/
- Slang
:
suerte inesperada
- It was a jammy stroke of luck that we caught the last train home just in time.
Examples
-
She had a jammy stroke of luck when she found a £50 note on the street.
-
Winning that holiday was such a jammy stroke of luck for the Johnsons.
-
Her promotion came as a jammy stroke of luck, completely unexpected by everyone in the office.
-
Winning the lottery was a jammy stroke of luck!
-
Her promotion came as a jammy stroke of luck, completely unexpected by everyone in the office.
-
It was a jammy stroke of luck that we caught the last train home just in time.
-
She had a jammy stroke of luck when she found a £50 note on the street.
Synonyms
547
1.0
A fortunate event that happens by chance
66
2.5
A lucky event or success that happens by chance
32
5.1
An unexpected good event that happens by chance
15
7.9
A happy chance event that brings good results
13
3.2
A sudden chance that helps you succeed
8
3.9
Good luck that happens by chance, not because you worked for it
8
3.2
A sudden lucky event that brings good results
1
9.5
An extra helpful thing you get, often at work
A lucky unexpected event that brings something good
Very good luck that happens by chance and seems undeserved
Antonyms
How Lucky
- Slang
- Informal
13
3.2
8
3.2
- Informal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built: 'jammy' = remarkably lucky modifies 'stroke of luck' = an unexpectedly fortunate event, so the overall meaning ('an unexpectedly fortunate event') is directly derivable from the constituents. Although 'jammy' is informal/British, the modifier + noun structure is transparent and predictable to a learner who knows the parts.
Etymology
Jammy stroke of luck paints a sweet picture: one popular story says jammy comes from the idea of finding a soft, sweet spot of jam inside a cake — a small, unexpected treat — and stroke of luck is a sudden lucky event. So a 'jammy stroke of luck' means a pleasant surprise that happens 'by chance'.