Strike

Strike, strīk, v.t. to give a blow to: to hit with force, to smite: to pierce: to dash: to stamp: to coin: to thrust in: to cause to sound: to let down, as a sail: to ground upon, as a ship: to punish: to affect strongly: to affect suddenly with alarm or surprise: to make a compact or agreement, to ratify: to take down and remove: to erase (with out, off): to come upon unexpectedly: to occur to: to appear to: to assume: to hook a fish by a quick turn of the wrist: (slang) to steal: (B.) to stroke.—v.i. to give a quick blow: to hit: to dash: to sound by being struck: to touch: to run aground: to pass with a quick effect: to dart: to take root: to lower the flag in token of respect or surrender: to give up work in order to secure higher wages or the redress of some grievance: (U.S.) to do menial work for an officer: to become saturated with salt: to run, or fade in colour:—pa.t. struck; pa.p. struck (obs. strick′en).—n. act of striking for higher wages: (geol.) the direction of the outcrop of a stratum—the line which it makes when it appears at the surface of the earth, always being at right angles to the dip of the bend: (U.S.) any dishonest attempt to extort money by bringing in a bill in the hope of being bought off by those interested: full measure, esp. of malt: the whole coinage made at one time: an imperfect matrix for type: the metal plate into which a door-latch strikes as the door closes: the crystalline appearance of hard soaps.—ns. Strike′-pay, an allowance paid by a trades-union to men on strike; Strīk′er, one who, or that which, strikes: a green-hand on shipboard.—adj. Strīk′ing, affecting: surprising: forcible: impressive: exact.—adv. Strīk′ingly.—n. Strīk′ingness, quality of being striking, or of affecting or surprising.—Strike a balance, to bring out the relative state of a debtor and creditor account; Strike a tent, to take it down; Strike down, to prostrate by a blow or by illness; Strike for, to start suddenly for; Strike from, to remove with a stroke; Strike hands (B.), to become surety for any one; Strike home, to strike right to the point aimed at; Strike in, to enter suddenly: to interpose; Strike into, to enter upon suddenly, to break into; Strike off, to erase from an account, to deduct: to print: to separate by a blow; Strike oil, to find petroleum when boring for it: to make a lucky hit; Strike out, to efface: to bring into light: to direct one's course boldly outwards: to strike from the shoulder: to form by sudden effort; Strike sail, to take in sail: to stop; Strike up, to begin to beat, sing, or play; Strike work, to cease work. [A.S. strícan; Ger. streichen, to move, to strike.]