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fluke

   Also found in: Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
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 fluke1.]

fluke 1
Noun
an accidental stroke of luck [origin unknown]
fluky adj

fluke 2
Noun
1. the flat triangular point of an anchor
2. either of the two lobes of the tail of a whale [perhaps a special use of fluke3 (in the sense: a flounder, flatfish)]

fluke 3
Noun
any parasitic flatworm, such as the liver fluke [Old English flōc]

fluke  (flk)
1. Either of the two flattened fins of a whale's tail.
2. See trematode.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.fluke - a stroke of 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
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.flukefluke - parasitic flatworms having external suckers for attaching to a host
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
Translations
Spanish fluke [fluːk] n (col) → chiripa
French fluke [fluːk] ncoup m de veine
German fluke [fluːk] (inf) nGlücksfall m;
by a fluke → durch einen glücklichen Zufall

Italian fluke [fluːk] n (col) → colpo di fortuna

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The boats were here hailed, to tow the whale on the larboard side, where fluke chains and other necessaries were already prepared for securing him.
but an anchor on a man’s shoulder; and here’s the other fluke down his back, maybe a little too close, which signifies that the lad has got under way and left his moorings.
I had to keep guessing at the channel; I had to discern, mostly by inspiration, the signs of hidden banks; I watched for sunken stones; I was learning to clap my teeth smartly before my heart flew out, when I shaved by a fluke some infernal sly old snag that would have ripped the life out of the tin-pot steamboat and drowned all the pilgrims; I had to keep a look-out for the signs of dead wood we could cut up in the night for next day's steaming.
 
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