Dictionary

one should be so lucky en · X

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

Calque of Yiddish מען זאָל זיין אזוי מזלדיק (men zol zeyn azoy mazldik, “one should be so lucky”)

Meanings

1. (informal, sarcastic) It is highly doubtful: indicating that something is not likely to happen to the person specified.
   • "You take pictures in here and you're liable to get a rat in one of them!" "I should be so lucky. I've been trying for years to get a picture of a rat at the Intervale Jewish Center without any luck. They refuse to pose." 1988, Jack Kugelmass, editor, Between Two Worlds, Cornell University Press, page 311:
   • I laugh uncontrollably when I meet women who say, "What if we get equal rights; we'll all be drafted!" My reply is, "You should be so lucky." The male-dominated military are not about to open their last sanctuary to 51 percent of the population. 1971, Equal Rights for Men and Women 1971: Hearings, Ninety-second Congress, First Session, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 131:
   • I play my heart out. To have me on his team, he should be so lucky. That's right. When I get chosen, I give everything. 1983, Larry Ketron, Asian Shade, Dramatists Play Service, page 37:
   • So now I'm the Beverly Sills of Broadway, right? Hah! I should be so lucky! 1970, The New York Times Biographical Service, New York Times & Arno Press, page 660:

Forms

Relateds

chance'd be a fine thing · one should live so long

Translations (5)

es no caerá esa breva (it is highly doubtful) · hu azt megnézem magamnak! (it is highly doubtful) · hu (ugyan/vajon) mikor lesz/van neked olyan/akkora szerencséd? (it is highly doubtful) · cs zlatý voči! (it is highly doubtful) · yi מען זאָל זיין אזוי מזלדיק (it is highly doubtful)