Part 4420

<hr> <page="575"> Page 575<p>

<h1>Fluke</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Fluke</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. LG. <ets>flunk</ets>, <ets>flunka</ets> wing, the palm of an anchor; perh. akin to E. <ets>fly</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The part of an anchor which fastens in the ground; a flook. See <er>Anchor</er>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>One of the lobes of a whale's tail, so called from the resemblance to the fluke of an anchor.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>An instrument for cleaning out a hole drilled in stone for blasting.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>An accidental and favorable stroke at billiards (called a <i>scratch</i> in the United States); hence, any accidental or unexpected advantage; <as>as, he won by a <ex>fluke</ex></as>.</def> <mark>[Cant, Eng.]</mark>

<i>A. Trollope.</i>

<h1>Flukeworm</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Fluke"worm`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>Same as 1st <er>Fluke</er>, 2.</def>

<h1>Fluky</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Fluk"y</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Formed like, or having, a fluke.</def>

<h1>Flume</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Flume</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. OE. <ets>flum</ets> river, OF, <ets>flum</ets>, fr. L. <ets>flumen</ets>, fr. <ets>fluere</ets> to flow. \'fb84. See <er>Fluent</er>.]</ety> <def>A stream; especially, a passage channel, or conduit for the water that drives a mill wheel; or an artifical channel of water for hydraulic or placer mining; also, a chute for conveying logs or lumber down a declivity.</def>

<h1>Fluminous</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Flu"mi*nous</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>flumen</ets>, <ets>fluminis</ets>, river.]</ety> <def>Pertaining to rivers; abounding in streama.</def>

<h1>Flummery</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Flum"mer*y</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[W. <ets>llumru</ets>, or <ets>llumruwd</ets>, a kind of food made of oatmeal steeped in water until it has turned sour, fr. <ets>llumrig</ets> harsh, raw, crude, fr. <ets>llum</ets> sharp, severe.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A light kind of food, formerly made of flour or meal; a sort of pap.</def>

<blockquote>Milk and <b>flummery</b> are very fit for children. <i>Locke.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Something insipid, or not worth having; empty compliment; trash; unsubstantial talk of writing.</def>

<blockquote>The <b>flummery</b> of modern criticism. <i>J. Morley.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Flung</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Flung</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <def><tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> of <er>Fling</er>.</def>

<h1>Flunk</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Flunk</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Flunked</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Flunking</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[Cf. <er>Funk</er>.]</ety> <def>To fail, as on a lesson; to back out, as from an undertaking, through fear.</def>

<h1>Flunk</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Flunk</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To fail in; to shirk, as a task or duty.</def> <mark>[Colloq. U.S.]</mark>

<h1>Flunk</h1> <Xpage=575>

<hw>Flunk</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A failure or backing out</def>; specifically (<mark>College cant</mark>), <def>a total failure in a recitation.</def> <mark>[U.S.]</mark>