strike

to drive so as to cause impact: to strike the hands together.

to thrust forcibly: Brutus struck a dagger into the dying Caesar.

to produce (fire, sparks, light, etc.) by percussion, friction, etc.

to cause (a match) to ignite by friction.

(of some natural or supernatural agency) to smite or blast: Lightning struck the spire. May God strike you dead!

to come into forcible contact or collision with; hit into or against: The ship struck a rock.

to reach or fall upon (the senses), as light or sound: A shrill peal of bells struck their ears.

to enter the mind of; occur to: A happy thought struck him.

to catch or arrest (the sight, hearing, etc.): the first object that strikes one's eye.

to impress strongly: a picture that strikes one's fancy.

to impress in a particular manner: How does it strike you?

to come across, meet with, or encounter suddenly or unexpectedly: to strike the name of a friend in a newspaper.

to come upon or find (oil, ore, etc.) in drilling, prospecting, or the like.

to send down or put forth (a root), as a plant or cutting.

to arrive at or achieve by or as by balancing: to strike a balance; to strike a compromise.

to take apart or pull down (a structure or object, as a tent).

to remove from the stage (the scenery and properties of an act or scene): to strike a set.

Nautical.

Falconry. to loosen (a hood) from the head of a hawk so that it may be instantly removed.

Angling.

to harpoon (a whale).

(in technical use) to make level or smooth.

to make level or even, as a measure of grain or salt, by drawing a strickle across the top.

to efface, cancel, or cross out, with or as with the stroke of a pen (usually followed by out): to strike a passage out of a book.

to impress or stamp (a coin, medal, etc.) by printing or punching: to strike a medal in commemoration.

to remove or separate with or as if with a cut (usually followed by off): Illness struck him off from social contacts. The butcher struck off a chop.

Masonry. to finish (a mortar joint) with a stroke of the trowel.

to indicate (the hour of day) by a stroke or strokes, as a clock: to strike 12.

to afflict suddenly, as with disease, suffering, or death (often followed by down): The plague struck Europe. Apoplexy struck him down.

to overwhelm emotionally, as with terror or fear; affect deeply.

to make blind, dumb, etc., suddenly, as if by a blow.

to implant or induce (a feeling): to strike fear into a person.

to start or move suddenly into (vigorous movement): The horse struck a gallop.

to assume (an attitude or posture): He likes to strike a noble pose.

to cause (chill, warmth, etc.) to pass or penetrate quickly.

to come upon or reach in traveling or in a course of procedure: We struck Rome before dark.

to make, conclude, or ratify (an agreement, treaty, etc.).

to estimate or determine (a mean or average).

to leave off (work) or stop (working) as a coercive measure, or as at the close of the day.

(of a union or union member)

to draw (a straight line); paint the edge of an area with (a regular, usually straight line).

Law. to choose (a jury) from a panel by striking off names until only the required number remains.

to knock, rap, or tap.

to hit or dash on or against something, as a moving body does; come into forcible contact; collide.

to run upon a bank, rock, or other obstacle, as a ship does.

to fall, as light or sound does (followed by on or upon).

to make an impression on the mind, senses, etc., as something seen or heard.

to come suddenly or unexpectedly (usually followed by on or upon): to strike on a new way of doing a thing.

to sound by percussion: The clock strikes.

to be indicated by or as by such percussion: The hour has struck.

to ignite or be ignited by friction, as a match.

to make a stroke, as with the arms or legs in swimming or with an oar in rowing.

to produce a sound, music, etc., by touching a string or playing upon an instrument.

to take root, as a slip of a plant.

to go, proceed, or advance, especially in a new direction: They struck out at dawn. They struck toward a new town.

(of a union or union member) to engage in a suspension of work until an employer or industry meets certain demands.

Nautical.

Angling. (of fish) to swallow or take the bait.

a temporary stoppage of something.

Also called strike plate. a metal plate on a jamb holding the bolt of the lock on a door when closed.

Baseball.

Bowling.

Horology. the striking mechanism of a timepiece.

Brewing. the degree of excellence or strength of beer, ale, etc.

Angling.

Coining. a quantity of coins struck at one time.

Geology.

the discovery of a rich vein or ore in mining, of petroleum in boring, etc.

Military. a planned attack, especially by aircraft, on a target.

(tr) to make an attack on

to produce (fire, sparks, etc) or (of fire, sparks, etc) to be produced by ignition

to cause (a match) to light by friction or (of a match) to be lighted

to press (the key of a piano, organ, etc) or to sound (a specific note) in this or a similar way

to indicate (a specific time) by the sound of a hammer striking a bell or by any other percussive sound

(of a venomous snake) to cause injury by biting

(tr) to affect or cause to affect deeply, suddenly, or radically, as if by dealing a blow: her appearance struck him as strange; I was struck on his art

past participle struck or stricken (tr; passive usually foll by with) to render incapable or nearly so: she was stricken with grief

(tr) to enter the mind of: it struck me that he had become very quiet

past participle struck or stricken to render: I was struck dumb

(tr) to be perceived by; catch: the glint of metal struck his eye

to arrive at or come upon (something), esp suddenly or unexpectedly: to strike the path for home; to strike upon a solution

(intr sometimes foll by out) to set (out) or proceed, esp upon a new course: to strike for the coast

(tr; usually passive) to afflict with a disease, esp unexpectedly: he was struck with polio when he was six

(tr) to discover or come upon a source of (ore, petroleum, etc)

(tr) (of a plant) to produce or send down (a root or roots)

(tr) to take apart or pack up; break (esp in the phrase strike camp)

(tr) to take down or dismantle (a stage set, formwork, etc)

(tr) nautical

to attack (an objective) with the intention of causing damage to, seizing, or destroying it

to impale the hook in the mouth of (a fish) by suddenly tightening or jerking the line after the bait or fly has been taken

(tr) to form or impress (a coin, metal, etc) by or as if by stamping

to level (a surface) by use of a flat board

(tr) to assume or take up (an attitude, posture, etc)

(intr) (of workers in a factory, etc) to cease work collectively as a protest against working conditions, low pay, etc

(tr) to reach by agreement: to strike a bargain

(tr) to form (a jury, esp a special jury) by cancelling certain names among those nominated for jury service until only the requisite number remains: See also special jury

(tr) rowing to make (a certain number of strokes) per minute: Oxford were striking 38

to make a stroke or kick in swimming

(tr) (in Malaysia) to win (a lottery or raffle)

strike home

strike it lucky or strike lucky to have some good luck

strike it rich informal

a military attack, esp an air attack on a surface target: air strike

baseball a pitched ball judged good but missed or not swung at, three of which cause a batter to be out

Also called: ten-strike tenpin bowling

a sound made by striking

the mechanism that makes a clock strike

the discovery of a source of ore, petroleum, etc

the horizontal direction of a fault, rock stratum, etc, which is perpendicular to the direction of the dip

angling the act or an instance of striking

the number of coins or medals made at one time

another name for strickle (def. 1)

informal an unexpected or complete success, esp one that brings financial gain

take strike cricket (of a batsman) to prepare to play a ball delivered by the bowler