Also flukey. [f. FLUKE sb.3 + -Y1.]
1. Of the nature of a fluke or lucky chance; obtained by chance rather than by skill.
1879. The Saturday Review, XLVIII. 5 July, 21/1. Mr. Hirst seconded him ably with thirty-five; but there was some flukey hitting of Mr. Steel, in the innings of Mr. Haskett Smith.
1881. Standard, 8 July, 6/1. Lascelles scored a fluky two in the slips.
1886. G. B. Smith, Prime Ministers, 310. It [the Ministry] shortly afterwards sustained an actual but fluky defeat on Mr. Locke King’s motion for the assimilation of the county with the borough franchise; and Lord John Russell resigned.
1893. Pall Mall G., 21 June, 5/2. The result … is a capital example of the flukey nature of the game.
2. Uncertain; favoring unexpected results.
1880. Daily Tel., 7 Sept. There are the fluky days, when the best of the breeze brings all the stern boats up to you.
1882. The Saturday Review, LIV. 25 Nov., 706/2. Dr. Mackay associates glamour with the Gaelic glac, to seize, and mor, great—a very fluky etymology.
1894. Times, 16 April, 10/3. The Britannia … beating Oretta and Valkyrie I. hull down in very fluky winds.
Hence Flukily adv. Flukiness.
1881. Daily News, 22 June, 2/7. He had played very flukily. Ibid. (1888), 7 July, 6/5. When all has been said … as to the flukiness of cricket on wet wickets.
