strike meaning and definition

STRIKE noun

Definition of strike (noun)

1. a group's refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad work conditions
   • "the strike lasted more than a month before it was settled"
   • synonyms: work stoppage
2. an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective
   • "the strike was scheduled to begin at dawn"
3. a gentle blow
   • synonyms: rap, tap
4. a score in tenpins: knocking down all ten with the first ball
   • "he finished with three strikes in the tenth frame"
   • synonyms: ten-strike
5. (baseball) a pitch that the batter swings at and misses, or that the batter hits into foul territory, or that the batter does not swing at but the umpire judges to be in the area over home plate and between the batter's knees and shoulders
   • "this pitcher throws more strikes than balls"
6. a conspicuous success
   • "that song was his first hit and marked the beginning of his career"; "that new Broadway show is a real smasher"; "the party went with a bang"
   • synonyms: bang, hit, smash, smasher

STRIKE verb

Definition of strike (verb)

1. deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
   • "The teacher struck the child"; "the opponent refused to strike"; "The boxer struck the attacker dead"
2. have an emotional or cognitive impact upon
   • "This child impressed me as unusually mature"; "This behavior struck me as odd"
   • synonyms: affect, impress, move
3. hit against; come into sudden contact with
   • "The car hit a tree"; "He struck the table with his elbow"
   • synonyms: collide with, hit, impinge on, run into
   • antonym: miss
4. make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target
   • "The Germans struck Poland on Sept. 1, 1939"; "We must strike the enemy's oil fields"; "in the fifth inning, the Giants struck, sending three runners home to win the game 5 to 2"
   • synonyms: hit
5. indicate (a certain time) by striking
   • "The clock struck midnight"; "Just when I entered, the clock struck"
6. affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely
   • "We were hit by really bad weather"; "He was stricken with cancer when he was still a teenager"; "The earthquake struck at midnight"
   • synonyms: hit
7. stop work in order to press demands
   • "The auto workers are striking for higher wages"; "The employees walked out when their demand for better benefits was not met"
   • synonyms: walk out
8. touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly
   • "Light fell on her face"; "The sun shone on the fields"; "The light struck the golden necklace"; "A strange sound struck my ears"
   • synonyms: fall, shine
9. attain
   • "The horse finally struck a pace"
   • synonyms: come to
10. produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments, also metaphorically
    • "The pianist strikes a middle C"; "strike `z' on the keyboard"; "her comments struck a sour note"
    • synonyms: hit
11. cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp
    • "strike an arc"
12. find unexpectedly
    • "the archeologists chanced upon an old tomb"; "she struck a goldmine"; "The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake"
    • synonyms: attain, chance on, chance upon, come across, come upon, discover, fall upon, happen upon, light upon
13. produce by ignition or a blow
    • "strike fire from the flintstone"; "strike a match"
14. remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line
    • "Please strike this remark from the record"; "scratch that remark"
    • synonyms: excise, expunge, scratch
15. cause to experience suddenly
    • "Panic struck me"; "An interesting idea hit her"; "A thought came to me"; "The thought struck terror in our minds"; "They were struck with fear"
    • synonyms: come to, hit
16. drive something violently into a location
    • "he hit his fist on the table"; "she struck her head on the low ceiling"
    • synonyms: hit
17. occupy or take on
    • "He assumes the lotus position"; "She took her seat on the stage"; "We took our seats in the orchestra"; "She took up her position behind the tree"; "strike a pose"
    • synonyms: assume, take, take up
18. form by stamping, punching, or printing
    • "strike coins"; "strike a medal"
    • synonyms: coin, mint
19. smooth with a strickle
    • "strickle the grain in the measure"
    • synonyms: strickle
20. pierce with force
    • "The bullet struck her thigh"; "The icy wind struck through our coats"
21. arrive at after reckoning, deliberating, and weighing
    • "strike a balance"; "strike a bargain"