fluke

fluke ¹  (flk)

n.

1. Any of various flatfishes, especially a flounder of the genus Paralichthys.

2. See trematode.

---

[Middle English, from Old English flc; see plk-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

---

fluke ²  (flk)

n.

1. Nautical The triangular blade at the end of an arm of an anchor, designed to catch in the ground.

2. A barb or barbed head, as on an arrow or a harpoon.

3. Either of the two horizontally flattened divisions of the tail of a whale.

---

[Possibly from fluke.]

---

fluke ³  (flk)

n.

1. A stroke of good luck.

2. A chance occurrence; an accident.

3. Games An accidentally good or successful stroke in billiards or pool.

---

[Origin unknown.]

---

fluke¹

n

1. (Transport / Nautical Terms) Also called flue a flat bladelike projection at the end of the arm of an anchor

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) either of the two lobes of the tail of a whale or related animal

3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Fishing) Also called flue the barb or barbed head of a harpoon, arrow, etc.

[perhaps a special use of fluke³ (in the sense: a flounder)]

---

fluke²

n

1. an accidental stroke of luck

2. any chance happening

vb

(tr) to gain, make, or hit by a fluke

[of unknown origin]

---

fluke³

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any parasitic flatworm, such as the blood fluke and liver fluke, of the classes Monogenea and Digenea (formerly united in a single class Trematoda)

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) another name for flounder² [1]

[Old English flōc; related to Old Norse flōki flounder, Old Saxon flaka sole, Old High German flah smooth]

---

fluke  (flk)

1. Either of the two flattened fins of a whale's tail.

2. See trematode.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	fluke - a stroke of luck good fortune, good luck fortune, luck - an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that leads to a favorable outcome; "it was my good luck to be there"; "they say luck is a lady"; "it was as if fortune guided his hand" serendipity - good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
	2.	fluke - a barb on a harpoon or arrow barb - a subsidiary point facing opposite from the main point that makes an arrowhead or spear hard to remove harpoon - a spear with a shaft and barbed point for throwing; used for catching large fish or whales; a strong line is attached to it
	3.	fluke - flat bladelike projection on the arm of an anchor flue anchor, ground tackle - a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving projection - any structure that branches out from a central support
	4.	fluke - either of the two lobes of the tail of a cetacean cetacean, cetacean mammal, blower - large aquatic carnivorous mammal with fin-like forelimbs no hind limbs, including: whales; dolphins; porpoises; narwhals tail - the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
	5.	fluke - parasitic flatworms having external suckers for attaching to a host trematode, trematode worm flatworm, platyhelminth - parasitic or free-living worms having a flattened body class Trematoda, Trematoda - parasitic flatworms (including flukes) Fasciola hepatica, liver fluke - flatworm parasitic in liver and bile ducts of domestic animals and humans Fasciolopsis buski - fluke that is parasitic on humans and swine; common in eastern Asia blood fluke, schistosome - flatworms parasitic in the blood vessels of mammals

---

fluke

noun stroke of luck, accident, coincidence, chance occurrence, chance, stroke, blessing, freak, windfall, quirk, lucky break, serendipity, quirk of fate, fortuity, break The discovery was something of a fluke.

Translations

fluke¹ [fluːk] N → chiripa f, golpe m de suerte
to win by a fluke → ganar de or por chiripa

---

fluke² [fluːk] N (Zool) → trematodo m (Fishing) especie de platija

---

fluke [ˈfluːk] n → coup m de veine
by fluke → par un coup de chance extraordinaire

---

fluke¹

n (inf) → Dusel m (inf), → Schwein nt (inf); by a fluke → durch Dusel (inf); it was a (pure) fluke → das war (einfach) Dusel (inf)

---

fluke²

n (Naut) → Flunke m; (of a whale’s tail) → Fluke f; (Fishing: = flounder) → Flunder f; (Zool: = flatworm) → Plattwurm m

---

fluke [fluːk] n (fam) → colpo di fortuna
by a fluke → per puro caso

---

fluke [fluːk] n (fam) → colpo di fortuna
by a fluke → per puro caso

---

fluke

n fluke [fluːk]

a chance success Passing the exam was a fluke – I had done no work. gelukskoot نَجاح بِالصُّدْفَه шанс šťastná náhoda held; tilfælde der Dusel τυχαία επιτυχία chiripa, racha de suerte õnnelik juhus خوش شانسی onnenpotku coup de chance מַזָל तुक्के से, अकस्मात cisti slucaj, luda sreca mázli kebetulan heppni colpo di fortuna まぐれ当たり 뜻밖의 행운 laimingas atsitiktinumas necerēta laime; laimes gadījums nasib stom geluk lykketreff, hell fuks puro acaso noroc (неожиданная) удача šťastná náhoda srečno naključje srećna okolnost lyckträff, tur การโชคดีโดยบังเอิญ şans 僥倖成功 щасливий випадок احسن اتفاق، تکّا trò may rủi 侥幸成功