Strike Definition
strike
noun
- 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"
- an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective; "the strike was scheduled to begin at dawn"
- a gentle blow
- a score in tenpins: knocking down all ten with the first ball; "he finished with three strikes in the tenth frame"
- (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"
- 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"
verb
- 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"
- have an emotional or cognitive impact upon; "This child impressed me as unusually mature"; "This behavior struck me as odd"
- hit against; come into sudden contact with; "The car hit a tree"; "He struck the table with his elbow"
- 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"
- indicate (a certain time) by striking; "The clock struck midnight"; "Just when I entered, the clock struck"
- 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"
- 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"
- 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"
- attain; "The horse finally struck a pace"
- 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"
- cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp; "strike an arc"
- find unexpectedly; "the archeologists chanced upon an old tomb"; "she struck a goldmine"; "The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake"
- produce by ignition or a blow; "strike fire from the flintstone"; "strike a match"
- remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line; "Please strike this remark from the record"; "scratch that remark"
- 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"
- drive something violently into a location; "he hit his fist on the table"; "she struck her head on the low ceiling"
- 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"
- form by stamping, punching, or printing; "strike coins"; "strike a medal"
- smooth with a strickle; "strickle the grain in the measure"
- pierce with force; "The bullet struck her thigh"; "The icy wind struck through our coats"
- arrive at after reckoning, deliberating, and weighing; "strike a balance"; "strike a bargain"
"Strike" in song lyrics
See how strike is used in real songs:
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"First four moves, first strike"
9th Prince f/ Akir, AR.Change.L — Rap Disease -
"It's 52 ways to get hit when my iron strike"
Ace & MoeRoc — Arch Nemesis -
"For a once and a 2nd strike"
A-Wax — Dome Shots
Words that rhyme with strike
Usage tips for "strike"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "strike" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for strike to find words that pair well.