strike

I. verb (struck; struck; also stricken; striking) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English strīcan to stroke, go; akin to Old High German strīhhan to stroke, Latin stringere to touch lightly, striga, stria furrow Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. to take a course ; go <

struck off through the brush

> 2. a. to aim and usually deliver a blow, stroke, or thrust (as with the hand, a weapon, or a tool) b. to arrive with detrimental effect <

disaster struck

> c. to attempt to undermine or harm something as if by a blow <

struck at…cherished notions — R. P. Warren

> 3. to come into contact forcefully <

two ships struck in mid channel

> 4. to delete something 5. to lower a flag usually in surrender 6. a. to become indicated by a clock, bell, or chime <

the hour had just struck

> b. to make known the time by sounding <

the clock struck as they entered

> 7. pierce, penetrate <

the wind seemed to strike through our clothes

> 8. a. to engage in battle b. to make a military attack 9. to become ignited <

the match struck

> 10. to discover something <

struck on a new plan of attack

> 11. a. to pull on a fishing rod in order to set the hook b. of a fish to seize the bait 12. dart, shoot 13. a. of a plant cutting to take root b. of a seed germinate 14. to make an impression 15. to stop work in order to force an employer to comply with demands 16. to make a beginning <

the need to strike vigorously for success

> 17. to thrust oneself forward <

he struck into the midst of the argument

> 18. to work diligently ; strive transitive verb 1. a. to strike at ; hit b. to drive or remove by or as if by a blow c. to attack or seize with a sharp blow (as of fangs or claws) <

struck by a snake

> d. inflict <

strike a blow

> e. to produce by or as if by a blow or stroke <

Moses struck water from the rock

> f. to separate by a sharp blow <

strike off flints

> 2. a. to haul down ; lower <

strike the sails

> b. to dismantle and take away <

strike the set

> c. to strike the tents of (a camp) 3. to afflict suddenly <

stricken by a heart attack

> 4. a. to engage in (a battle) ; fight b. to make a military attack on 5. delete, cancel <

strike the last paragraph

> 6. a. to penetrate painfully ; pierce b. to cause to penetrate <

strike the needle

> c. to send down or out <

trees struck roots deep into the soil

> 7. a. to level (as a measure of grain) by scraping off what is above the rim b. to smooth or form (as a mold) with a tool 8. to indicate by sounding <

the clock struck one

> 9. a. (1) to bring into forceful contact <

struck his head on the doorjamb

> (2) to shake (hands) in confirming an agreement (3) to thrust suddenly b. to come into contact or collision with <

the car struck the tree

> c. of light to fall on d. of a sound to become audible to 10. a. to affect with a mental or emotional state or a strong emotion <

struck with horror at the sight

> b. to affect a person with (a strong emotion) <

words that struck fear in the listeners

> c. to cause to become by or as if by a sudden blow <

struck him dead

> 11. a. to produce by stamping <

strike a coin

> b. (1) to produce (as fire) by or as if by striking (2) to cause to ignite by friction <

strike a match

> 12. to make and ratify the terms of <

strike a bargain

> 13. a. to play or produce by stroking keys or strings <

struck a series of chords on the piano

> b. to produce as if by playing an instrument <

his voice struck a note of concern

> 14. a. to hook (a fish) by a sharp pull on the line b. of a fish to snatch at (a bait) 15. a. to occur to <

the answer struck me suddenly

> b. to appear to especially as a revelation or as remarkable ; impress <

it struck the crowd as insensitive

> 16. bewitch 17. to arrive at by or as if by computation <

strike a balance

> 18. a. to come to ; attain b. to come upon ; discover <

strike gold

> 19. to engage in a strike against (an employer) 20. take on, assume <

strike a pose

> 21. a. to place (a plant cutting) in a medium for growth and rooting b. to so propagate (a plant) 22. to make one's way along <

will strike the southern coast

> 23. to cause (an arc) to form (as between electrodes of an arc lamp) 24. of an insect to oviposit on or in Synonyms: see affect II. noun Date: 15th century 1. a tool for smoothing a surface (as of a mold) 2. an act or instance of striking 3. a. a work stoppage by a body of workers to enforce compliance with demands made on an employer b. a temporary stoppage of activities in protest against an act or condition 4. the direction of the line of intersection of a horizontal plane with an uptilted geological stratum 5. a. a pull on a fishing rod to strike a fish b. a pull on a line by a fish in striking 6. a stroke of good luck; especially a discovery of a valuable mineral deposit 7. a. a pitched ball that is in the strike zone or is swung at and is not hit fair b. a perfectly thrown ball or pass 8. disadvantage, handicap 9. an act or instance of knocking down all the bowling pins with the first bowl 10. establishment of roots and plant growth 11. cutaneous myiasis (as of sheep) 12. a. a military attack; especially an air attack on a single objective b. a group of airplanes taking part in such an attack