felucca
(fɛˈlʌkə)
Forms: 7 fal-, feluke, -uque, feleucca, filucca, 7–8 falucca, (7 falluca, -ocque), 7 phalucco, 8 felouca, 8–9 -uca, 9 felouk, -ucco, 7– felucca.
[a. It. felu(c)ca, Fr. felouque, Sp. faluca, Pg. falua, mod.Arab. falūkah, also fulaikah.
Devic considers it to be of Arabic formation, cognate with Arab. fulk ship, f. root falaka to be round.]
A small vessel propelled by oars or lateen sails, or both, used, chiefly in the Mediterranean, for coasting voyages.
| 1628 Digby Voy. Medit., I sent out my pinnace and a falluca. 1655 Theophania 2 The chief Lord of the place..entred into a Fallocque that waited for him. 1662 J. Bargrave Pope Alex. VII (1867) 38 Brancaccio..fled in a felucca [a boat about as big as a Gravesend barge, J.B.] towards Rome. 1728 Morgan Algiers II. iv. 279 The Felucca..landed them privately at Cape Zafran. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789) F iv b, A felucca is a strong passage⁓boat used in the Mediterranean, with from ten to sixteen banks of oars. 1799 Nelson Lett. (1814) II. 194, I have been with Acton to get a felucca, to send Ball's dispatch to you. 1879 A. Brassey Sunsh. & Storm (1880) 19 Some officers had started at night in a felucca. |
Hence feˈlucca v., to put on board a felucca.
| 1728 De Foe Mem. Capt. G. Carleton (1841) 30 He again felucca'd himself, and they saw him no more till [etc.]. |