strike
strike
(strīk) verb
struck (
strŭk), struck or stricken (strĭkʹən), striking, strikes
verb
, transitive
1.
a. To hit sharply, as with the hand, the fist, or a weapon. b. To inflict (a blow).
2. To penetrate or pierce: was struck in the leg by a bullet.
3. a. To collide with or crash into: She struck the desk with her knee. b. To cause to come into violent or forceful contact: She struck her knee against the desk. c. To thrust (a weapon, for example) in or into someone or something: struck the sword into the dragon. d. To damage or destroy, as by forceful contact: Lightning struck the tree.
4. To make a military attack on; assault.
5. To afflict suddenly, as with a disease or an impairment: was stricken with cancer.
6. To cause to become by or as if by a blow: struck him dead.
7. a. To snap at or seize (a bait). b. To hook (a fish that has taken the bait) by a pull on the line.
8. To wound by biting. Used especially of a snake.
9. To form by stamping, printing, or punching: strike a medallion.
10. To produce or play by manipulating strings or keys: strike a B flat; strike w, t, and y on the typewriter.
11. To indicate by a percussive or chiming sound: The clock struck nine.
12. To produce as if by playing a musical instrument: The report struck a positive note in the final paragraph.
13. a. To produce by friction or a blow: struck fire from the flints. b. To produce flame, light, or a spark from by friction: strike a match.
14. To remove or separate with or as if with a blow: struck the wasp from his shoulder; struck off the diseased branch with a machete.
15. To eliminate or expunge: strike a statement from the court records.
16. a. To come upon; discover: struck gold. b. To come to; attain: finally struck the main trail.
17. a. To fall upon; shine on: A bright light struck her face. b. To become audible to: An odd sound struck his ear.
18. To affect keenly or forcibly; impress. See synonyms at affect1.
19. To enter one's mind; occur to: The thought struck me from out of the blue.
20. a. To cause (a strong emotion) to penetrate deeply: struck terror into their hearts. b. To affect or overcome with strong emotion: She was struck with alarm at the news.
21. a. To make and confirm the terms of (a bargain). b. To achieve (a balance, for example) by careful weighing or reckoning.
22. To take on or assume (a pose, for example).
23. Nautical. a. To haul down (a mast or sail). b. To lower (a flag or sail) in salute or surrender. c. To lower (cargo) into a hold.
24. To remove (theatrical properties) from the stage.
25. To dismantle and pack up for departure: strike camp.
26. To undertake a strike against (an employer).
27. a. To level or even (a measure, as of grain). b. To smooth or shape with a strickle.
28. a. To send (plant roots) out or down. b. To cause (a plant cutting) to take root.
verb
, intransitive
1.
To deal a blow or blows with or as if with the fist or a weapon; hit.
2.
To aim a stroke or blow.
3.
To make contact suddenly or violently; collide: A car and a bus struck at the intersection.
4.
To begin a military attack: The enemy struck unexpectedly.
5.
To penetrate or pierce: The cold struck right through our jackets.
6.
To take bait: The fish are striking.
7.
To dart or shoot suddenly forward in an attempt to inflict a bite or wound. Used of snakes and wild animals.
8.
To set out or proceed, especially in a new direction: struck off into the forest.
9.
To begin to move: The horse struck into a gallop.
10.
a. To send out roots. b. To sprout.
11. a. To indicate the time by making a percussive or chiming sound: The clock struck just as we left. b. To become indicated by percussive or chiming sounds: The hour has struck.
12. To become ignited.
13. To discover something suddenly or unexpectedly: struck on a new approach.
14. To fall, as light or sound: sunlight striking on the cliffs; a din struck upon their ears.
15. To have an effect; make an impression.
16. To engage in a strike against an employer.
17. To interrupt by pushing oneself forward: struck rudely into the conversation.
18. To strive diligently for a specific technical rating in the U.S. Navy.
noun
1.
An act or a gesture of striking.
2.
An attack, especially a military air attack on a single group of targets.
3.
a. A cessation of work by employees in support of demands made on their employer, as for higher pay or improved conditions. b. A temporary stoppage of normal activity undertaken as a protest.
4. A sudden achievement or valuable discovery, as of a precious mineral.
5. a. The taking of bait by a fish. b. A pull on a fishing line indicating this.
6. A quantity of coins or medals struck at the same time.
7. Baseball. a. A pitched ball that is counted against the batter, typically one that is swung at and missed, fouled off, or judged to have passed through the strike zone. b. A perfectly thrown ball.
8. An unfavorable condition, circumstance, or characteristic; a disadvantage.
9. Sports. The knocking down of all the pins in bowling with the first bowl of a frame.
10. The taking root and growing of a plant cutting.
11. Geology. The course or bearing of the outcrop of an inclined bed or structure on a level surface.
12. A strickle.
phrasal verb.
strike down
1.
To cause to fall by a blow.
2.
To incapacitate or kill: He was struck down by tuberculosis while in his twenties.
3.
To render ineffective; cancel: The court struck down the law as unconstitutional.
strike out
1.
To begin a course of action.
2.
To set out energetically.
3.
Baseball. a. To pitch three strikes to (a batter), putting the batter out. b. To be struck out.
4. To fail in an endeavor.
strike up
1.
a. To start to play music or sing: The band suddenly struck up. b. To start to play or sing (something): The orchestra struck up a waltz. c. To cause to start to play or sing: Strike up the band!
2. To initiate or begin: strike up a conversation; struck up a friendship.
idiom.
on strike
Engaged in a work stoppage: Most of the employees were on strike.
strike hands
To conclude a bargain or reach an agreement.
strike it rich Informal
To have sudden financial success.
[Middle English striken, from Old English strīcan, to stroke.]