word choice - "Best of luck" or "Best luck"?


Sometimes I need to wish luck upon someone, and a simple "Good luck" may not suffice. For such a situation what is the correct usage? "Best Luck" or "Best of Luck"?. Why?



Answer



The idomatic and correct usage is best of luck. It really is short for I wish you the best of luck. Thus, you see why the of has to be there. The best of is a standard construction, e.g. make the best of it.


Certainly, there are situations apart from the one you describe where best luck would be correct, e.g Among my competitors, I had the best luck in finding the missing balls.


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