strike Hear it!

strike Definition

strike (strīk)

transitive verb struck, struck, stricken, strik·ing

  1. to hit with the hand or a tool, weapon, etc.; smite; specif.,
    1. to give a blow to; hit with force to strike a nail with a hammer
    2. to give (a blow, etc.)
    3. to remove, knock off, etc. by or as by a blow to strike a gun from someone's hand
    4. to make or impress by stamping, punching, printing, etc. to strike coins in a mint
    5. to pierce or penetrate struck in the head by a bullet
    6. to harpoon or shoot (a whale)
    7. to hook (a fish that has risen to the bait) by a pull on the line
    8. to seize (the bait): said of a fish
    1. to produce (a tone or chord) by hitting a key or keys or touching a string or strings on a musical instrument
    2. to touch the strings of (a musical instrument)
  2. to announce (time), as by causing a hammer to hit a bell: said of clocks, etc.
  3. to cause to come into violent or forceful contact; specif.,
    1. to cause to hit something to strike one's head on a beam
    2. to thrust (a weapon, implement, etc.) in or into something
    3. to bring forcefully into contact to strike cymbals together
    4. to cause to ignite by friction to strike a match
    1. to produce (a light, etc.) by friction
    2. to make (an arc) in an arc lamp
  4. to come into violent or forceful contact with; crash into; hit the stone struck a head
    1. to wound with the fangs: said of snakes
    2. to attack
  5. to afflict, as with disease, pain, or death
  6. to come into contact with; specif.,
    1. to fall on; shine on light striking the wall
    2. to catch or reach (the ear): said of a sound
    3. ☆ to come upon; arrive at the bus struck the main road
    4. to make (a path, trail, etc.) as one goes along
    5. to notice, find, or hit upon suddenly or unexpectedly
    6. ☆ to discover, as after drilling or prospecting to strike oil
    7. to appear to the sight that struck my eyes
  7. to affect as if by contact, a blow, etc.; specif.,
    1. to come into the mind of; occur to an idea struck me
    2. to be attractive to or impress (someone's fancy, sense of humor, etc.)
    3. to seem to an idea that strikes me as silly
    4. to cause to become suddenly to be struck dumb
    5. to influence, inspire, or overcome suddenly with strong feeling to be struck with amazement
    6. to cause (a feeling, emotion, etc.) to come suddenly; arouse to strike terror to the heart
  8. to remove or expunge (from a list, minutes, record, etc.)
    1. to make and ratify (a bargain, agreement, truce, etc.)
    2. to arrive at by figuring, estimating, etc. to strike a balance
    1. to lower or haul down (a sail, flag, etc.), as in surrendering: sailors formerly struck sails in protest of grievances, to prevent a ship from sailing
    2. to take down (a tent, etc.)
    3. to abandon (a camp) as by taking down tents
  9. Etymology: from strike via obs. sense “to put (tools) out of use” in protest of grievances

    to refuse to continue to work at (a factory, company, etc.) until certain demands have been met
    1. Obsolete to stroke or smooth
    2. to level (a measure of grain, sand mold, etc.) by stroking the top with a straight instrument; strickle
  10. to assume (an attitude, pose, etc.)
    1. to send down or put forth (roots): said of plants, etc.
    2. to cause (cuttings, etc.) to take root
  11. Obsolete to wage (battle)
  12. Etymology: cf. strike

    Theater
    1. to dismantle and remove (scenery or a set)
    2. to remove the scenery of (a play)
    3. to turn (a light) down or off

Etymology: ME striken, to proceed, flow, strike with rod or sword < OE strican, to go, proceed, advance, akin to Ger streichen < IE *streig- < base *ster-, a streak, strip, to stroke > L stringere, to couch, strigilis, scraper, Ger strahl, ray

intransitive verb

  1. to deliver a blow or blows
  2. to aim a blow or blows to strike in vain at a ball
    1. to attack the enemy struck at dawn
    2. to take part in a fight or struggle (for some objective)
    1. to make a sound or sounds as by being struck: said of a bell, clock, etc.
    2. to be announced by the striking of a bell, chime, etc.: said of the time
    1. to make sudden and violent contact; hit; collide (against, on, or upon)
    2. to be noticed; have an effect
  3. to ignite or be capable of igniting, as a match
  4. to seize or snatch at a bait: said of a fish
  5. to make a darting movement in an attempt to inflict a wound: said of a snake, tiger, etc.
  6. to penetrate or pierce (to, through, etc.)
  7. to come suddenly or unexpectedly; fall, light, etc. (on or upon) to strike on the right combination
  8. to run upon a reef, rock, etc.: said of a ship
    1. to lower sail
    2. to haul down one's flag in token of surrender
  9. to refuse to continue to work until certain demands are met; go on strike
  10. to send out roots; take root: said of a plant
  11. to begin, advance, or proceed, esp. in a new way or direction; turn
  12. to move or pass quickly; dart
  13. U.S. Navy to be in training (for a specified rating)

noun

  1. the act of striking; blow; specif., a military attack an air strike
  2. strickle
    1. a concerted refusal by employees to go on working, in an attempt to force an employer to grant certain demands, as for higher wages, better working conditions, etc.
    2. any similar refusal by a person or group of people to do something, undertaken as a form of protest a hunger strike, a buyers' strike
  3. the discovery of a rich deposit of oil, coal, minerals, etc.
  4. ☆ any sudden success, esp. one bringing large financial return
    1. ☆ the pull on the line by a fish seizing or snatching at bait
    2. the pull that a fisherman gives the line to engage a baited hook in a fish's mouth
  5. the number of coins, medals, etc. struck at one time
  6. the part of a timepiece that strikes
  7. the metal piece on a doorjamb, into which the latch fits when the door is shut
  8. Baseball a pitched ball that is struck at but missed, declared within the strike zone but not struck at, or hit foul but not caught: the batter is out after three strikes but the third strike cannot be a foul ball unless it was on a bunt attempt or unless it was a foul tip that was caught by the catcher
  9. Bowling
    1. the act of knocking down all the pins on the first bowl
    2. the score made in this way
  10. Geol., Mining the trace of a rock bed, fault, or vein on the horizontal, at right angles to the direction of dip

strike Idioms

be struck with

to be attracted to or impressed by

have two strikes against one

Informal to be at a decided disadvantage: from the three strikes permitted a batter in baseball

(out) on strike

striking

strike down

  1. to cause to fall by a blow, etc.; knock down
  2. to do away with; undo, cancel, etc.
  3. to have a disastrous or disabling effect upon: said of illness, etc.

strike dumb

to amaze; astound; astonish

strike hands

  1. to show agreement by clasping hands
  2. to make a bargain, contract, etc.

strike home

  1. to deliver an effective or crippling blow
  2. to achieve a desired or significant effect

strike it rich

  1. to discover a rich deposit of ore, oil, etc.
  2. to become rich or successful suddenly

strike off

  1. to separate, or remove, by or as by a blow or cut
  2. to remove from a record, list, etc.; erase; expunge
  3. to print

strike out

  1. to make by hitting or striking
  2. to originate; produce; devise
  3. to aim or strike a blow; hit out
  4. to remove from a record, etc.; erase; expunge
  5. to begin moving or acting; start out
  6. Baseball
    1. to be put out as the result of three strikes
    2. to put (a batter) out by pitching three strikes
  7. ☆ to be a failure

strike up

  1. to begin or cause to begin playing, singing, sounding, etc.
  2. to begin (a friendship, conversation, etc.)
  3. to emboss (metal, decorative figures, etc.)
strike Synonyms

strike

n.

  1. An organized refusal

    walkout, deadlock, work stoppage, quitting, sit-down strike, job action, work-to-rule (British), labor dispute, sickout, tie-up, heulga (Spanish), brazos caidos (Spanish), slowdown, called strike, sympathetic strike, general strike, wildcat strike, token strike, confrontation, sit-in*, teach-in*, study-in*, blue flu*, love-in*, mill-in*; see also revolution 2.

  2. A discovery

    gold strike, success, find, unfolding, exposure, disclosure, opening up, laying bare, bringing to light, uncovering; see also discovery 1.

  3. A blow

    hit, stroke, punch; see blow 1.

  4. A pitched ball

    ball swung at and missed, pitch over the plate, called strike; see pitch 2.

have two strikes against one*

be in danger, be in trouble, be uncertain, be troubled, be handicapped; see also doubt 2, fear 1.

on strike

striking, protesting, on the picket line, out on strike; see unemployed.

strike Synonyms

strike

v.

  1. To hit

    box, punch, thump; see beat 2, hit 1.

  2. To refuse to work

    walk out, tie up, sit down, slow down, work to rule (British), go out, be on strike, sit in, arbitrate, negotiate a contract, picket, boycott, stop, quit, enforce idleness, resist, hold out for, hit the bricks*; see also oppose 1, 2, rebel 1.

  3. To light

    kindle, inflame, scratch, light up; see burn 1, ignite.

  4. To seem

    look, have the semblance, be plausible; see seem.

  5. To find

    uncover, open up, lay bare; see discover.

strike Law Definition

n

  1. An organized stoppage of labor by employees in order to compel the employer to meet their demands.
  2. The dismissal of a prospective juror from the panel, whether for cause or peremptorily.
  3. A negative mark on one’s record (as in, three strikes and you’re out).
strike Usage Examples

Object

  • chord: We seemed to strike a chord with the younger people.
  • balance: There is no question of striking a balance here.
  • blow: The British decided to strike a critical blow which would devastate the rebels.

Converse of object

  • lighten: These include kick, lightening strike, weapon strip frying pan to the head and penalty box.

Subject

  • lightning: Should a power cut happen, keep a close eye on your fish, but don´t risk getting struck by lightning.

Adjective modifier

  • pre-emptive: In 1994, the united stats came close to launching a pre-emptive strike against North Korea.
  • one-day: The latest one-day strike remained solid across the country.
  • all-out: Now nursery nurses have voted by four to one for an all-out strike in an attempt to show how frustrated nursery nurses are.
  • unofficial: Unofficial strikes have fallen from 95 % of all strikes to 40 % of all strikes.
  • 24-hour: This will be the second 24-hour strike at the Haydock site in relation to a dispute over rates of pay.

Adjective complement

  • dumb: As a consequence of this malady the monk was struck dumb, but was miraculously restored to health by Aelred.

Noun used with modifier

  • hunger: Minister Humphrey Atkins made promises in the light of which the hunger strike was called off.
  • lightning: The bulk of calls to the Fire Service were caused by lightning strikes setting off fire alarms.
  • disaster: Quot this has them and insurance renters storage we disaster strike to reduce dependency.

Possessives

  • miner: Times were tough at his father's shop as the miners ' strike hit the local economy.
  • firefighter: Merseyside has had seven fire-related deaths this year, two of those during the eight- day firefighters ' strike.

Particle object:

  • rapport: An initial consultation will enable you both to appreciate what is required, and also to strike up a rapport.
  • friendship: Through a mutual friend at ATV Vernon and Oliver had met and struck up a friendship that would last years.

Modifies a noun

  • ballot: Asda's decision to appeal coincides with the GMB announcement that a national strike ballot will start in mid April.

Preposition: by

  • lightning: Should a power cut happen, keep a close eye on your fish, but don´t risk getting struck by lightning.
strike Quotes

Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, And without sneering, teach the rest to sneer; Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike, Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike.

—Pope, Alexander

The General Strike has taught the working classes more in four days than years of talking could have done.

—Balfour, ArthurJames Balfour, 1st Earl

  If you strike a child take care that you strike it in anger, evenattheriskof maiming itfor life. A blow incold blood neither can nor should be forgiven.

—Shaw, George Bernard

Si j'e¤  cris quatre mots, j'en effacerai trois. If I write four words, I strike out three of them.

—Boileau (Despre¤  aux), Nicolas

There is no right to strike against the public safety by anybody, anywhere, at any time.

—Coolidge, (John) Calvin

Weaponsgrow rusty if unused, and a Union which never strikes may lose the ability to organise a formidable strike, so that its threats become less effective.

—Hicks, SirJohn Richard

The captain is in his bunk, drinking bottled ditch-water; and the crew isgambling in the forecastle. She will strike and sink and split. Do you think the laws of God will be suspended in favour of England because you were born in it?

—Shaw, George Bernard

Read over your compositions, and where ever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

   He hath awakened from the dream of lifeö 'Tis we, who lost in stormy visions, keep With phantoms an unprofitable strife, And in mad trance, strike with our spirit's knife Invulnerable nothings.

—Shelley, Percy Bysshe

Don't iron while the strike is hot.

—Anonymous