fluke

Plural: fluke, flukes

Noun

• a stroke of luck
• a barb on a harpoon or arrow
• flat bladelike projection on the arm of an anchor
• either of the two lobes of the tail of a cetacean
• parasitic flatworms having external suckers for attaching to a host
• A lucky or improbable occurrence that could probably never be repeated.
• A summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus)
• A trematode; a parasitic flatworm of the class Trematoda, related to tapeworms (class Cestoda).
• Any of the triangular blades at the end of an anchor, designed to catch the ground.
• Either of the two lobes of a whale's or similar creature's tail.
• 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.
• In general, a winglike formation on a central piece.
• Waste cotton.

Verb

• To obtain a successful outcome by pure chance.
• To fortuitously pot a ball in an unintended way.
• FLUKED FLUKING, FLUKES to obtain by chance

Examples

• "After casting the bronze statue, we filed down the flukes and spurs from the molding process."
• "He fluked the other red into the middle pocket, despite the double kiss."
• "I fluked a pass in the multiple-choice exam."
• "The dolphin had an open wound on the left fluke of its tail where the propeller had injured it."
• "The fluke of the anchor was wedged between two outcroppings of rock and could not be dislodged."
• "The man became infected with flukes after eating a meal of raw fish."
• "The polearm had a wide, sharpened fluke attached to the central point."
• "We've classified by a fluke; actually, the first goal was just a total fluke."

Synonyms

flue, good fortune, good luck, trematode, trematode worm

Related Words

flukey, fluky