Definition

Noun 1. A selection or decision made purely by random chance, without any skill or strategy involved. 2. A game or amusement, often at a fair or children's party, where small prizes are hidden in a container (like a barrel or box filled with sawdust or shredded paper) and participants pay a small sum to pull one out without being able to see what it is.

Usage

• The term describes situations governed entirely by luck.
• As a game, it is a common form of entertainment at fundraising events, fairs, or parties.

Examples

• Referring to a random process:
  • Choosing a winner from a hat was a complete lucky dip.
  • The allocation of offices felt like a lucky dip, with no logic to who got which room.
• Referring to the game:
  • The children queued excitedly for a turn at the lucky dip.
  • We set up a lucky dip with wrapped sweets and tiny toys for the school fete.

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Use: The term is often used metaphorically to criticize a process that is perceived as unprofessional or haphazard.
  • The government's policy on grants appears to be little more than a lucky dip for local councils.

Variants and Related Words

• Grab bag (noun): Primarily North American term for a container holding an assortment of miscellaneous items, often sold for a fixed price without knowing the contents. It can be synonymous with "lucky dip" as a game.
• Dip (noun): In the context of the game, one can "have a dip" in the lucky dip.

Synonyms

• Lottery: A means of raising money by selling numbered tickets and awarding prizes to holders of numbers drawn at random. (Broader, often involves money).
• Draw: The act of picking a winning ticket or name at random.
• Game of chance: Any game whose outcome is strongly influenced by random factors.
• Potluck: A meal where each guest brings a dish to share, the variety of which is unknown beforehand. (Conceptually related in the sense of an unknown outcome).

Related Phrases and Idioms

• A lucky dip can itself function as an idiomatic phrase to describe any situation with an uncertain, random outcome.
  • Buying a cheap antique can be a lucky dip; you might find a treasure or just junk.

Noun

1. a selection or decision purely at random
   • their system of hiring people seemed to be a sort of lucky dip
2. a game in which prizes (e.g., candies or coins) are concealed in a container and for a small sum a player can draw one out at random