Strike | Mean of strike in English Dictionary

/ˈstraɪk/

• Verb
• to hit (someone or something) in a forceful way
1. The ship struck an iceberg.
2. The car struck the tree.
3. The bullet struck him in the leg.
4. The cyclist was struck by a car.
5. The tree was struck by lightning.
6. He fell and his head struck the pavement.
7. I could hear the rain striking the rooftop.
• to cause (something) to hit something in a forceful way
1. I struck [=banged, bumped] my knee against the leg of the table.
2. She struck the cymbals together.
• to hit (someone or something) with your hand, a weapon, etc.
1. The killer struck him with a blunt object.
2. She accidentally struck another player in the face.

• to attack someone or something suddenly
1. The snake was about to strike.
2. Police say that the killer may strike again.
3. The snake struck at the mouse.
4. He struck at her with a knife.
5. He hurt her feelings by striking at [=attacking, criticizing] her personal beliefs.
6. The proposed law strikes at the foundations of our democracy.
• to affect (someone or something) suddenly in a bad way
1. The flu strikes millions of people each year. [=millions of people get sick with the flu each year]
2. A hurricane struck the island.
3. The city has been struck by a powerful earthquake.
4. He was stricken with a high fever.
5. The hurricane is expected to strike tomorrow.
6. When disaster strikes, will you be prepared?
7. The home team struck [=scored] first on the opening drive.
• to cause (someone) to be in a certain condition suddenly
1. They were struck speechless with surprise.
2. He was struck deaf/blind [=he became deaf/blind] at an early age.
3. I was struck dumb [=dumbstruck] by the news.
• to cause someone to feel (a strong emotion) suddenly
1. Their war cries struck terror in (the hearts of) their enemies.
2. Her words struck fear into the hearts of her listeners.
• to affect (someone) with a strong emotion
1. He was struck with horror at the sight. = The sight struck him with horror.
• to cause (something) to happen or exist
1. He needs to strike a better balance between his work life and his family life. [=he needs to spend less time at work and more time with his family]
2. They struck a blow for freedom and against tyranny. [=they did something that helped freedom and opposed tyranny]
3. Fate has struck a heavy blow against us. = Fate has struck us a heavy blow.
• to be thought of by (someone) suddenly
1. It suddenly struck me [=I realized suddenly] that I would never see her again.
2. The answer just struck me.
3. It strikes me [=I realize] that there is a larger issue at stake.
• to cause (someone) to think about someone or something in a particular way
1. What really struck me was their enthusiasm. [=I especially noticed their enthusiasm]
2. It strikes me [=it surprises me] that so few of them were willing to help.
3. Her comment struck me as odd. [=her comment seemed odd to me]
4. She strikes us as a very qualified candidate. [=we think she is a very qualified candidate]
• to stop work in order to force an employer to agree to demands
1. The teachers are threatening to strike. [=go on strike]
2. striking workers
3. The workers are striking for an increase in pay.
• to make the time known by making a sound
1. The clock struck as they entered the room.
2. The clock struck one.
• to cause (a match) to start burning by rubbing it against a surface
1. She struck a match and lit the candle.
• to make (an agreement)
1. The two parties have finally struck a bargain/deal.
• to remove (something) from (something)
1. She struck the song from the album at the last minute.
2. He struck [=deleted] the sentence from the paragraph.
3. The clause has been stricken from the contract.
• to find or discover (something) especially by digging
1. They are hoping to strike oil/gold.
• to place yourself in (a particular position, posture, etc.)
1. She struck [=assumed, took on] a dramatic pose.
2. He struck a defensive attitude.
• to play (a note, chord, etc.) on a musical instrument by using your fingers on keys or strings
1. Fans cheered when he struck the song's opening chords.
2. She struck the right note/tone with her speech. [=she said things in a way that appealed to her audience]
• to begin to walk or go in a particular direction
1. He struck off through the woods.
2. The men struck out for/toward their campsite when they saw the storm clouds moving in.
• to make (a coin, medal, etc.) by pressing an image into a piece of metal
1. The coins were struck in 1789.
• to be very impressed by or pleased with (something or someone)
1. Visitors are always struck by the beauty of the landscape.
• to try to hurt someone who has hurt you or treated you badly
1. When he called her lazy, she immediately struck back by calling him fat.
2. He angrily struck back at his critics.
• to make (someone) unable to work, act, or function in the usual way
1. She was struck down by an injury at the height of her athletic career.
• to cause (someone) to die suddenly
1. He was struck down by a heart attack at age 55.
• to say officially that (something) is no longer legally valid
1. The board struck down the appointment.
2. The Supreme Court struck down the law.
• to have great success with something
1. The studio struck gold with their latest film.
• to become rich suddenly
1. Her family struck it rich when they won the lottery.
• to draw a line through (a name or item on a list)
1. The teacher struck off [=crossed out] the names as he called them out.
• to remove (something) by hitting it with a tool in a forceful way
1. He struck off the top of the coconut with a machete.
• to remove the name of (someone, such as a doctor or lawyer) from an official register
1. The doctor was struck off for unethical practices. [=the doctor is no longer allowed to practice]
• to find or discover (something) especially suddenly
1. He struck on an idea for his novel.
2. They struck upon a salt mine.
• to like or be impressed by (someone or something) very much
1. He was quite struck on her.
2. She seems to be very struck on herself. [=stuck on herself]
• to cause (a batter) to be out by pitching three strikes
1. The pitcher struck him out with a curve.
2. The pitcher struck out the first two batters.
• to make an out by getting three strikes
1. The first two batters struck out.
• to remove (something) from a document
1. The editor struck out the last paragraph.
• to be unsuccessful
1. “Did you get her phone number?” “No, I struck out.”
• to begin a course of action
1. She struck out on her own after graduation.
• to try to hit someone or something suddenly
1. He struck out wildly with his arms.
2. He struck out wildly at the police officers.
• to make a sudden and angry attack against someone
1. Both candidates struck out at their critics.
• to kill (someone) in a quick and unexpected way
1. A bolt of lightning struck him dead.
• to begin to play (a piece of music)
1. The orchestra struck up a waltz.
• to cause (an orchestra, a band, etc.) to begin playing
1. The conductor struck up the band.
• to begin (something)
1. I struck up a conversation with him at the party.
2. The two boys struck up a friendship.
• to do something immediately while you still have a good chance to do it
1. We may not have a chance like this again. We need to strike while the iron is hot.
• Noun
• a period of time when workers stop work in order to force an employer to agree to their demands
1. a teachers' strike
2. a strike by airline pilots
3. The workers are on strike.
4. Workers are threatening to go (out) on strike. = (Brit) Workers are threatening to come out on strike.
5. Workers threatened to take strike action.
• a military attack
1. The allies have launched several strikes.
2. an air strike [=an attack by aircraft]
• the act of hitting something with force
1. The forest fire was caused by a lightning strike. [=was caused when something on the ground was hit/struck by lightning]
• a pitch that passes through a certain area over home plate without being hit and that counts against the batter
1. The first pitch was a ball but the next two pitches were strikes.
2. That's strike two. One more strike and he's out.
• a perfectly thrown ball or pass
1. The quarterback threw a strike to the receiver.
• something that makes someone or something less likely to be accepted, approved, successful, etc.
1. Her poor attendance was a strike against her. [=her poor attendance counted against her]
2. He has a criminal record, so that's one strike against him.
3. I want the job, but I'm young and I don't have much experience, so I feel like I already have two strikes against me.
• the achievement of knocking down all 10 pins with the first ball
1. She made/bowled a strike.
• a discovery of something valuable (such as oil)
1. an oil strike