STRIKE (struck)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does strike mean? 

• STRIKE (noun)
  The noun STRIKE has 6 senses:

1. a group's refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad work conditions

2. an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective

3. a gentle blow

4. a score in tenpins: knocking down all ten with the first ball

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

6. a conspicuous success

  Familiarity information: STRIKE used as a noun is common.

• STRIKE (verb)
  The verb STRIKE has 22 senses:

1. deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

2. have an emotional or cognitive impact upon

3. hit against; come into sudden contact with

4. make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target

5. indicate (a certain time) by striking

6. affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely

7. stop work in order to press demands

8. touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly

9. attain

10. produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments

11. cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp

12. find unexpectedly

13. produce by ignition or a blow

14. remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line

15. cause to experience suddenly

16. drive something violently into a location

17. occupy or take on

18. disassemble a temporary structure, such as a tent or a theatrical set

19. form by stamping, punching, or printing

20. smooth with a strickle

21. pierce with force

22. arrive at after reckoning, deliberating, and weighing

  Familiarity information: STRIKE used as a verb is very familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STRIKE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A group's refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad work conditions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

strike; work stoppage

Context example:

the strike lasted more than a month before it was settled

Hypernyms ("strike" is a kind of...):

job action (a temporary action by workers to protest management decision or to make demands)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strike"):

sit-down; sit-down strike (a strike in which workers refuse to leave the workplace until a settlement is reached)

sympathetic strike; sympathy strike (a strike in support of other workers who are on strike; a strike not resulting from direct grievances against the workers' employer)

walkout (a strike in which the workers walk out)

wildcat strike (a strike undertaken by workers without approval from the officials of their union)

Derivation:

strike (stop work in order to press demands)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

the strike was scheduled to begin at dawn

Hypernyms ("strike" is a kind of...):

attack; onrush; onset; onslaught ((military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strike"):

first strike (the initial use of nuclear weapons to attack a country that also has nuclear weapons; considered feasible only when the attacker can destroy the other country's ability to retaliate)

surgical strike (an attack (usually without prior warning) intended to deal only with a specific target)

preventive attack; preventive strike (a strike that is carried out in order to deter expected aggression by hostile forces)

Derivation:

strike (make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A gentle blow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

rap; strike; tap

Hypernyms ("strike" is a kind of...):

blow; bump (an impact (as from a collision))

Derivation:

strike (hit against; come into sudden contact with)

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A score in tenpins: knocking down all ten with the first ball

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

strike; ten-strike

Context example:

he finished with three strikes in the tenth frame

Hypernyms ("strike" is a kind of...):

score (the act of scoring in a game or sport)

Sense 5

Meaning:

(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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

this pitcher throws more strikes than balls

Hypernyms ("strike" is a kind of...):

delivery; pitch ((baseball) the act of throwing a baseball by a pitcher to a batter)

Derivation:

strike (make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A conspicuous success

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

bang; hit; smash; smasher; strike

Context example:

the party went with a bang

Hypernyms ("strike" is a kind of...):

success (an attainment that is successful)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strike"):

sleeper (an unexpected hit)

blockbuster; megahit; smash hit (an unusually successful hit with widespread popularity and huge sales (especially a movie or play or recording or novel))

• STRIKE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The boxer struck the attacker dead

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Verb group:

collide with; hit; impinge on; run into; strike (hit against; come into sudden contact with)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strike"):

beat (hit repeatedly)

beat (strike (a part of one's own body) repeatedly, as in great emotion or in accompaniment to music)

sclaff (strike (the ground) in making a sclaff)

clout (strike hard, especially with the fist)

knap; rap (strike sharply)

chop (strike sharply, as in some sports)

slap (hit with something flat, like a paddle or the open hand)

sclaff (strike (a golf ball) such that the ground is scraped first)

batter; buffet; knock about (strike against forcefully)

beak; peck; pick (hit lightly with a picking motion)

sideswipe (strike from the side)

hew (strike with an axe; cut down, strike)

tap; tip (strike lightly)

spur (strike with a spur)

cut down; down; knock down; pull down; push down (cause to come or go down)

knock; strike hard (deliver a sharp blow or push)

bunt; butt (to strike, thrust or shove against)

dab; pat (hit lightly)

jab (strike or punch with quick and short blows)

lash; whip (strike as if by whipping)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to strike his opponent

Also:

strike down (cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow)

Derivation:

strike (a gentle blow)

striker (the part of a mechanical device that strikes something)

striker (someone who hits)

striking (the act of contacting one thing with another)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Have an emotional or cognitive impact upon

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

affect; impress; move; strike

Context example:

her comments struck a sour note

Cause:

experience; feel (undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind)

Verb group:

actuate; incite; motivate; move; prompt; propel (give an incentive for action)

come to; hit; strike (cause to experience suddenly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strike"):

cloud (make gloomy or depressed)

strike dumb (render speechless, as by surprising or shocking)

pierce (move or affect (a person's emotions or bodily feelings) deeply or sharply)

impress (impress positively)

sweep away; sweep off (overwhelm emotionally)

disturb; trouble; upset (move deeply)

stir; touch (affect emotionally)

move (arouse sympathy or compassion in)

sadden (make unhappy)

alienate (make withdrawn or isolated or emotionally dissociated)

smite (affect suddenly with deep feeling)

hit home; strike a chord; strike a note; strike home (refer to or be relevant or familiar to)

jar (affect in a disagreeable way)

zap (strike suddenly and with force)

engrave (impress or affect deeply)

awaken (make aware)

impress; ingrain; instill (produce or try to produce a vivid impression of)

surprise (cause to be surprised)

infect (affect in a contagious way)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

The bad news will strike him
The good news will strike her

Sense 3

Meaning:

Hit against; come into sudden contact with

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

collide with; hit; impinge on; run into; strike

Context example:

He struck the table with his elbow

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Verb group:

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strike"):

connect (land on or hit solidly)

glance (hit at an angle)

clash; collide (crash together with violent impact)

bump into; butt against; jar against; knock against; run into (collide violently with an obstacle)

bump; knock (knock against with force or violence)

bottom out (hit the ground)

bottom (strike the ground, as with a ship's bottom)

spat (strike with a sound like that of falling rain)

thud (strike with a dull sound)

broadside (collide with the broad side of)

rear-end (collide with the rear end of)

bang; spang (leap, jerk, bang)

ping (hit with a pinging noise)

stub (strike (one's toe) accidentally against an object)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The car strikes the tree

Derivation:

striker (someone who hits)

striking (the physical coming together of two or more things)

striker (the part of a mechanical device that strikes something)

strike (a gentle blow)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

hit; strike

Context example:

in the fifth inning, the Giants struck, sending three runners home to win the game 5 to 2

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

assail; attack (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with)

Verb group:

hit; pip; shoot (hit with a missile from a weapon)

hit; strike (affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strike"):

chop (hit sharply)

retaliate; strike back (make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil)

stroke (strike a ball with a smooth blow)

slice (hit a ball so that it causes a backspin)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

strike ((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)

strike (an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Indicate (a certain time) by striking

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

Just when I entered, the clock struck

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

read; record; register; show (indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

hit; strike

Context example:

The earthquake struck at midnight

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

affect; bear on; bear upon; impact; touch; touch on (have an effect upon)

Verb group:

hit; strike (make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 7

Meaning:

Stop work in order to press demands

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

strike; walk out

Context example:

The employees walked out when their demand for better benefits was not met

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

dissent; protest; resist (express opposition through action or words)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

strike (a group's refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad work conditions)

striker (an employee on strike against an employer)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

fall; shine; strike

Context example:

A strange sound struck my ears

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

come about; fall out; go on; hap; happen; occur; pass; pass off; take place (come to pass)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Attain

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

come to; strike

Context example:

The horse finally struck a pace

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

accomplish; achieve; attain; reach (to gain with effort)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 10

Meaning:

Produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

hit; strike

Context example:

strike 'z' on the keyboard

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 11

Meaning:

Cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

strike an arc

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

form; shape (give shape or form to)

Verb group:

strike (produce by ignition or a blow)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 12

Meaning:

Find unexpectedly

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

attain; chance on; chance upon; come across; come upon; discover; fall upon; happen upon; light upon; strike

Context example:

The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

find; regain (come upon after searching; find the location of something that was missed or lost)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 13

Meaning:

Produce by ignition or a blow

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

strike a match

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

create; make (make or cause to be or to become)

Verb group:

strike (cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 14

Meaning:

Remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

excise; expunge; scratch; strike

Context example:

scratch that remark

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

cancel; delete (remove or make invisible)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 15

Meaning:

Cause to experience suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

come to; hit; strike

Context example:

They were struck with fear

Verb group:

affect; impress; move; strike (have an emotional or cognitive impact upon)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sense 16

Meaning:

Drive something violently into a location

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

hit; strike

Context example:

she struck her head on the low ceiling

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strike"):

smash (hit violently)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 17

Meaning:

Occupy or take on

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

assume; strike; take; take up

Context example:

strike a pose

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Verb group:

fill; occupy; take (assume, as of positions or roles)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 18

Meaning:

Disassemble a temporary structure, such as a tent or a theatrical set

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

after the show, we'll have to strike the set and pack up

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

break apart; break up; disassemble; dismantle; take apart (take apart into its constituent pieces)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 19

Meaning:

Form by stamping, punching, or printing

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

coin; mint; strike

Context example:

strike a medal

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

create from raw material; create from raw stuff (make from scratch)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 20

Meaning:

Smooth with a strickle

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

strickle; strike

Context example:

strickle the grain in the measure

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

even; even out; flush; level (make level or straight)

"Strike" entails doing...:

smooth; smoothen (make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 21

Meaning:

Pierce with force

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The icy wind struck through our coats

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

penetrate; perforate (pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something

Sense 22

Meaning:

Arrive at after reckoning, deliberating, and weighing

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

strike a bargain

Hypernyms (to "strike" is one way to...):

figure out; lick; puzzle out; solve; work; work out (find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

I was struck with the utmost grief and despair at my master’s discourse; and being unable to support the agonies I was under, I fell into a swoon at his feet.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I wonder if he read that notion in my face; for, all at once, without speaking, he struck suddenly and strongly.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Now is the time to strike.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Presently, struck by a sudden thought, Charles said—Captain Wentworth, which way are you going?

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

"But don't strike me—please don't—and I'll do anything you want me to."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Uranus strikes suddenly and without warning.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

“Where is a candle? I doubt if we could strike a match in that atmosphere. Hold the light at the door and we shall get them out, Mycroft, now!”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You have played a rather dangerous game, and it strikes me that you have lost it.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"We don't have anything like this in the solar system, and that's what makes it striking."

(Atmosphere of Midsize Planet Revealed by Hubble, Spitzer, NASA)

This Hubble Space Telescope image shows NGC 6503 in striking detail and with a rich set of colors.

(Lonely Galaxy Lost in Space, NASA)