strike out
Britishverb
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(tr) to remove or erase
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(intr) to start out or begin
to strike out on one's own
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baseball to put out or be put out on strikes
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informal (intr) to fail utterly
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Cancel or erase, as in Strike out that last sentence, please . [Early 1500s]
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Begin a course of action, set out energetically, as in Elaine was determined to strike out on her own . [Early 1700s]
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Fail in an endeavor, as in His latest business venture has struck out . This usage originated in baseball, where it refers to a batter's failure to put the ball in play ( Williams struck out three times in yesterday's game ), as well as to a pitcher's success in eliminating a batter ( Clemens struck him out again in the fourth inning ). [Late 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Murphy was on the mound in the seventh to strike out Pence and get the save.
From Los Angeles Times
In the semifinal and final, the U.S. combined to bat .159 and strike out 25 times, and every run came on a home run.
From Los Angeles Times
Miller has faced 14 batters in the WBC, allowing no hits and striking out 10.
From Los Angeles Times
Shohei Ohtani provided the first electric moment of the World Baseball Classic with a grand slam, three years after he capped the last WBC by striking out Mike Trout.
From Los Angeles Times
In 18 2/3 innings this season, Hovermale has allowed zero runs while striking out 27 and walking one.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.