fluke
noun
- cetacean body part
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /fluːk/ / /fluk/ / /fljuːk/
name
Etymology: Variant of Flook.
- A surname.
noun
Etymology: Mid-16th century in the sense of “anchor blade”. Probably the same word as in etymology 2 above or else a related word for something flat (cf. Proto-Germanic *flakaz). A derivation from Middle Low German vlögel (“wing”), from Proto-Germanic *flugilaz, seems phonetically impossible. If anything, related vlōch, vlucht (“flight”, both also “wing”) or even *vlunke (modern Low German Flunk (“wing, pinion”)) are more plausible candidates. Note that the kind of whale's fin is called Fluke in contemporary German, but this is likely from English.
- Any of the triangular blades at the end of an anchor, designed to catch the ground.
“The fluke of the anchor was wedged between two outcroppings of rock and could not be dislodged.”
“The honest, rough piece of iron, so simple in appearance, has more parts than the human body has limbs: the ring, the stock, the crown, the flukes, the palms, the shank. All this, according to the journalist, is “cast” when a ship arriving at an anchorage is brought up.”
- Either of the two lobes of a whale's or similar creature's tail.
“The dolphin had an open wound on the left fluke of its tail where the propeller had injured it.”
“But though this sculpture is half man and half whale, so as only to give the tail of the latter, yet that small section of him is all wrong. It looks more like the tapering tail of an anaconda, than the broad palms of the true whale's majestic flukes.”
- A metal hook on the head of certain staff weapons (such as a bill), made in various forms depending on function, whether used for grappling or to penetrate armour when swung at an opponent.
“The polearm had a wide, sharpened fluke attached to the central point.”
- In general, a winglike formation on a central piece.
“After casting the bronze statue, we filed down the flukes and spurs from the molding process.”
- Waste cotton.
verb
Etymology: Unknown, perhaps dialectal. It seems to have originally referred to a lucky shot at billiards. Possibly connected to sense 3, referring to whales' use of flukes to move rapidly. Possibly derived from German Glück (“luck, good fortune, happiness”).
- To obtain a successful outcome by pure chance.
“I fluked a pass in the multiple-choice exam.”
- To fortuitously pot a ball in an unintended way.
“He fluked the other red into the middle pocket, despite the double kiss.”