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streak Definition

streak (strēk)

noun

  1. a line or long, thin mark; stripe or smear, generally differing in color or texture from the surrounding area
  2. a ray of light or a flash, as of lightning
  3. a vein or stratum of a mineral
  4. a layer, as of fat in meat
  5. a strain, element, or tendency in behavior, temperament, etc.; trait a jealous streak
  6. ☆ a period, spell, or series a streak of bad luck, a streak of losses
  7. Bacteriology an inoculum placed, as in a line, on a solid culture medium
  8. Mineralogy a colored line of powder produced by rubbing a mineral over a hard, white surface (streak plate): it serves as a distinguishing character

Etymology: ME streke < OE strica: for IE base see strike

transitive verb

  1. to make streaks on or in; mark with streaks
  2. to make usually lighter streaks in (hair) with a coloring agent

intransitive verb

  1. to form streaks; become streaked
  2. to move at high speed; go fast; hurry
  3. ☆ to dash naked in public as a prank

streak Related Forms
streak′er noun
streak Idioms

like a streak

☆

Informal at high speed; swiftly

streak Synonyms

streak

n.

  1. A band

    stripe, strip, ridge; see band 1.

  2. A ray or flash of light

    bolt, flare, beam, thunderbolt, lightning bolt, burst, glint; see also ray.

like a streak

like lightning, swift, speedy; see fast 1, rapid 2.

streak Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • lose: A losing streak a lot of men out from.
  • win: The award winning streak does not end there - the National Festival Awards saw more glory for the club.
  • possess: The Bracco requires training and firm handling as they do possess a stubborn streak, however they will not tolerate any harsh handling.

Adjective modifier

  • winning: Sure, you can have a good winning streak of 50 % return for several years.
  • winless: Burnley continued their poor start to 2006 with defeat to local rivals Preston, stretching their winless streak to six games.
  • rebellious: Then thereâs that rebellious streak that runs through my bones.
  • ruthless: LALD was pure Moore; suave, cool, witty with a ruthless streak.
  • unbeaten: Americans hope to build on unbeaten streak against Canada.
  • stubborn: The Bracco requires training and firm handling as they do possess a stubborn streak, however they will not tolerate any harsh handling.

Modifies a noun

  • mosaic: First report of the wheat streak mosaic virus in Australia.
  • virus: First report of the wheat streak mosaic virus in Australia.

Preposition: across

  • sky: Then the shuttle - streaking across the sky like a meteor - started to break up.

Preposition: of

  • lightning: For well over half a century a black dog has been poised over a streak of lightning in the center of Bungay Market Place.
  • dawn: The bowed guitar symbolizes streaks of dawn enveloping the horizon.
  • humor: There's also a strong streak of black humor in this piece, which is really its most memorable feature.
  • luck: Only one thing stood between him and success: an unbroken streak of bad luck dating back to his birth.

Preposition: with

  • gray: Behind it the fading golden sky Is streaked with the gray of evening clouds.

Noun used with modifier

  • maize: Detection and typing of maize streak virus and other distantly related geminiviruses of grasses by polymerase chain reaction amplification of a conserved viral sequence.
  • wheat: First report of the wheat streak mosaic virus in Australia.
  • silver: She sat and stared down the long silver streak of the loch far below until her heart confirmed what she felt deep inside.
streak Quotes

Gilbert had a baddish streak or two in him; and one in particular whichwas not only baddish but so thoroughly caddish that no critic can ignore or, in my view, extenuate it. The man, to summarize, was essentially cruel, and delighted in cruelty.

—Quiller-Couch, SirArthurThomas known as  'Q'

When you go out to paint, try to forget what objects you have before youöa tree, a house, a field, or whatever. Merely think, here is a little square of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streakof yellow, and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact colour and shape, until it gives your own naive impression of the scene before you.

—Monet, Claude