What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Tail vs Fluke - What's the difference?

tail | fluke |

In nautical terms the difference between tail and fluke

is that tail is to swing with the stern in a certain direction; said of a vessel at anchor while fluke is any of the triangular blades at the end of an anchor, designed to catch the ground.

As nouns the difference between tail and fluke

is that tail is the caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus while fluke is a lucky or improbable occurrence, with the implication that the occurrence could not be repeated.

As verbs the difference between tail and fluke

is that tail is to follow and observe surreptitiously while fluke is to obtain a successful outcome by pure chance.

As an adjective tail

is limited; abridged; reduced; curtailed.

As a proper noun Fluke is

{{surname|from=|lang=en}.

tail

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (m), (m), (m), from (etyl) . In some senses, apparently by a generalization of the usual opposition between head'' and ''tail .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (anatomy) The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus.
    • Most primates have a tail and fangs.
  • The tail-end of an object, e.g. the rear of an aircraft's fuselage, containing the tailfin.
  • An object or part of an object resembling a tail in shape, such as the thongs on a cat-o'-nine-tails.
  • * (rfdate), Harvey:
    • Doretus writes a great praise of the distilled waters of those tails that hang on willow trees.
  • The rear structure of an aircraft, the empennage.
  • Specifically, the visible stream of dust and gases blown from a comet by the solar wind.
  • The latter part of a time period or event, or (collectively) persons or objects represented in this part.
  • (statistics) The part of a distribution most distant from the mode; as , a long tail.
  • One who surreptitiously follows another.
  • (cricket) The last four or five batsmen in the batting order, usually specialist bowlers.
  • (typography) The lower loop of the letters in the Roman alphabet, as in g'', ''q'' or ''y .
  • (chiefly, in the plural) The side of a coin not bearing the head; normally the side on which the monetary value of the coin is indicated; the reverse.
  • (mathematics) All the last terms of a sequence, from some term on.
    • A sequence (a_n) is said to be ''frequently 0'' if every tail of the sequence contains 0.
  • The buttocks or backside.
  • * 1499 , (John Skelton), The Bowge of Courte :
    • By Goddis sydes, syns I her thyder broughte, / She hath gote me more money with her tayle / Than hath some shyppe that into Bordews sayle.
  • *, I.49:
    • They were wont to wipe their tailes .
  • (slang) The male member of a person or animal.
    • After the burly macho nudists' polar bear dip, their tails''' were spectacularly shrunk, so they looked like an immature kid's innocent '''tail .
  • (slang, uncountable) Sexual intercourse.
    • I'm gonna get me some tail tonight.
  • (kayaking) The stern; the back of the kayak.
  • The back, last, lower, or inferior part of anything.
  • * Bible, Deuteronomy xxviii. 13:
    • The Lord will make thee the head, and not the tail .
  • A train or company of attendants; a retinue.
  • * (rfdate), Walter Scott:
    • "Ah," said he, "if you saw but the chief with his tail on."
  • (anatomy) The distal tendon of a muscle.
  • A downy or feathery appendage of certain achens, formed of the permanent elongated style.
  • (surgery) A portion of an incision, at its beginning or end, which does not go through the whole thickness of the skin, and is more painful than a complete incision; called also tailing.
  • One of the strips at the end of a bandage formed by splitting the bandage one or more times.
  • (nautical) A rope spliced to the strap of a block, by which it may be lashed to anything.
  • (music) The part of a note which runs perpendicularly upward or downward from the head; the stem.
  • (mining) A tailing.
  • (architecture) The bottom or lower portion of a member or part such as a slate or tile.

    • Synonyms

    * ass, poontang, poon, tang, pussy, punani

    Derived terms

    * cat-o'-nine-tails * chase one's tail * coattail * cocktail * have the world by the tail * rattail * shirttail * tailback * tailcoat * tail covert * tail-end * tail feather * tail fin * tailgate * tail lamp * tail light * tail-off * tailpiece * tailpipe * tailplane * tail-race * tail-skid * tailspin * tailstock * tailwheel * tailwind * turn tail * wagtail * whitetail * yellowtail

    See also

    * caudal

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To follow and observe surreptitiously.
    • Tail that car!
  • (architecture) To hold by the end; said of a timber when it rests upon a wall or other support; with in'' or ''into
  • (nautical) To swing with the stern in a certain direction; said of a vessel at anchor.
    • This vessel tails downstream.
  • To follow or hang to, like a tail; to be attached closely to, as that which can not be evaded.
  • * Fuller
    • Nevertheless his bond of two thousand pounds, wherewith he was tailed , continued uncancelled.
  • To pull or draw by the tail.
    • (Hudibras)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl), probably from a shortened form of entail .

    Adjective

  • (legal) Limited; abridged; reduced; curtailed.
    • estate tail

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (legal) Limitation of inheritance to certain heirs.
    • tail male — limitation to male heirs
    in tail — subject to such a limitation

    Anagrams

    * ----

    fluke

    English

    Etymology 1

    Of uncertain or obscure origin. It seems to have originally referred to a lucky shot at billiards.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A lucky or improbable occurrence, with the implication that the occurrence could not be repeated.
    • The first goal was just a fluke .

    Verb

    (fluk)
  • To obtain a successful outcome by pure chance.
    • I fluked a pass in the multiple-choice exam.
  • (snooker) To fortuitously pot a ball in an unintended way.
    • He fluked the other red into the middle pocket, despite the double kiss.

    Related terms

    * flukey/fluky

    Etymology 2

    (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A flounder.
  • A trematode; a parasitic flatworm of the Trematoda class, related to the tapeworm.
    • The man had become infected with flukes after eating a meal of raw fish.
    Related terms
    * flukeworm

    Etymology 3

    Possibly as Etymology 2 or from (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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.
  • (nautical) 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.
  • A metal hook on the head of certain staff weapons (such as a ), 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.
    Derived terms
    * turn flukes

    References

    * Wikipedia article on trematode