stroke

noun

1. 1

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit.

   a stroke on the chin

   Hee paſſed the vvhole length of Italie vvithout reſiſtance, […] He likevviſe entred and vvonne (in effect) the vvhole Kingdome of Naples it ſelfe, vvithout ſtriking ſtroke.

   But becauſe amongſt many ſtroaks, vvhich our eyes, eares, and other organs receive from external bodies, the predominant onely is ſenſible; therefore the light of the Sun being predominant, vve are not affected vvith the action of the ſtarrs.

   [A]fter the impulſive force, vvhich drove them upvvard, grevv languid, nor vvas there any other ſtroak, vvhich might toſſe them that vvay, the Atoms themſelves, endeavouring to go dovvn again, met vvith obſacles from others, vvhereupon they flevv about vvith greater activity, […]

2. 2

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit. An act of striking with a weapon; a blow.

   Singapore plans to cane scammers and scam mules, with mandatory caning of at least six strokes for scammers and discretionary caning for mules.

   Their mightie ſtrokes their haberieons diſmayld, / And naked made each others manly ſpalles; […]

   No Perſon vvas puniſhed by Bonds, Strokes, or Death, vvithout the Judgment and Sentence of the Druids: […]

   Side by side they fought (the Lucies / Were a line for valour fam'd) / And where'er their strokes alighted / There the Saracens were tam'd.

3. 3

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit. A single movement with a tool; also, an impact of a tool on an object.

   [W]hen a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor, to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a ſtroke with the axe to cut downe the tree, and the head ſlippeth from the helue, and lighteth vpon his neighbour that he die, he ſhall flee vnto one of thoſe cities, and liue: […]

   VVith lifted Arms they order ev'ry Blovv, / And chime their ſounding Hammers in a Rovv; / VVith ſtrokes of Anvils Ætna groans belovv.

   But now no stroke of woodman / Is heard by Auser's rill; […]

4. 4

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit. The hitting of a bell or similar by the clapper or hammer of a clock; the sound thereof; the time when this occurs.

   on the stroke of midnight

   Expect the second [ghost] on the next night at the same hour. The third upon the next night when the last stroke of twelve has ceased to vibrate. Look to see me no more; and look that, for your own sake, you remember what has passed between us!

   Already guarding a 1–0 lead from the first leg, Blackpool inched further ahead when Stephen Dobbie scored from an acute angle on the stroke of half-time. The game appeared to be completely beyond Birmingham's reach three minutes into the second period when Matt Phillips reacted quickly to bundle the ball past Colin Doyle and off a post.

5. 5

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit. An act of hitting or trying to hit a ball; also, the manner in which this is done. The action of hitting the ball with the bat; a shot.

6. 6

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit. An act of hitting or trying to hit a ball; also, the manner in which this is done. A single act of striking at the ball with a club; also, at matchplay, a shot deducted from a player's score at a hole as a result of a handicapping system.

7. 7

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit. An act of hitting or trying to hit a ball; also, the manner in which this is done. A point awarded to a player in case of interference or obstruction by the opponent.

8. 8

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit. An act of hitting or trying to hit a ball; also, the manner in which this is done. The hitting of a ball with a racket; also, the movement of the racket and arm that produces that impact.

9. 9

   A movement similar to that of hitting. One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished.

   the stroke of a bird’s wing in flying

10. 10

    A movement similar to that of hitting. One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished. The movement of an oar or paddle through water: either the cycle of movement as a whole, or the propelling phase (as opposed to the return); the manner in which such movements are made; a rowing style.

11. 11

    A movement similar to that of hitting. One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished. The rower nearest the stern of the boat, the movement of whose oar sets the rhythm for the other rowers; the position in the boat occupied by this rower.

12. 12

    A movement similar to that of hitting. One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished. A movement of the arms and legs which propels a swimmer through the water; a specific combination of such movements, constituting a swimming style.

    butterfly stroke

    Old Applegate, in the stern, just set and looked at me, and Lord James, amidship, waved both arms and kept hollering for help. I took a couple of everlasting big strokes and managed to grab hold of the skiff's rail, close to the stern.

13. 13

    A movement similar to that of hitting. A beat or throb, as of the heart or pulse.

    [I]n true marriage lies / Nor equal, nor unequal: each fulfils / Defect in each, and always thought in thought, / Purpose in purpose, will in will, they grow, / The single pure and perfect animal, / The two-cell'd heart beating, with one full stroke / Life.

14. 14

    A movement similar to that of hitting. A single movement or thrust of a reciprocating device (such as a piston or connecting rod).

    For the pistons of a four-stroke engine, the exhaust stroke follows the power stroke.

15. 15

    A movement similar to that of hitting. The length of this movement.

    The bore times the stroke times the number of cylinders equals displacement.

16. 16

    A movement similar to that of hitting. A thrust of the penis during sexual intercourse.

17. 17

    figurativeAn act causing hurt or death, especially when seen as divine punishment.

    the stroke of death

    The stroke of God, Aduersyte I hyght; / I pluke downe kynge, prynce, lorde, and knyght, / I rushe at them rughly, and make them ly full lowe, / And in theyr moste truste i make them ouerthrowe.

    Sheele make you ſhrinke as I did, vvith a ſtroke / But of her eye Tigranes.

    So judg'd he Man, both Judge and Saviour ſent, / And th' inſtant ſtroke of Death denounc'd that day / Remov'd farr off; […]

18. 18

    figurativeA damaging occurrence, especially if sudden; a blow, a calamity.

    The Abp. [Archbishop] of York [John Dolben] now died of yᵉ small pox, aged 62, a corpulent man. […] I looke on this as a greate stroke to yᵉ poore Church of England, now in this defecting period.

    T'encreaſe this load, ſome ſycophant-report / Deſtroy'd his int'reſt and good grace at court. / At this one ſtroke the man look'd dead in lavv: / His flatt'rers ſcamper, and his friends vvithdravv.

    Tom's whole soul was filled with thoughts of eternity; and while he ministered around the lifeless clay, he did not once think that the sudden stroke had left him in hopeless slavery.

19. 19

    figurativeAn amount of work; specifically, a large amount of business or work.

    a stroke of business

    ["]But I'm gwine, Mas'r George,—gwine to have four dollars a week; and Missis is gwine to lay it all up, to buy back my old man agin!" / "Whew!" said George, "here's a stroke of business, to be sure! How are you going [to Louisville]?"

20. 20

    figurativeA powerful or sudden effort by which something is done or produced; also, something accomplished by such an effort; an achievement, a feat.

    a stroke of genius

21. 21

    figurativeA single movement of a paintbrush, chisel, pen, pencil, or similar implement; a line or mark made by such an implement.

    Among other branches of ſcience, if one can call it ſo, Mr. [John] Evelyn ſtudied Phyſiognomy, and found diſſimulation, boldneſs, cruelty and ambition in every touch and ſtroke of [Isaac] Fuller's picture of Oliver Cromvvell's face, vvhich he ſays, vvas the moſt reſembling portrait of the Protector.

22. 22

    figurativeA single movement of a paintbrush, chisel, pen, pencil, or similar implement; a line or mark made by such an implement. A line making up a written character.

23. 23

    figurativeA single movement of a paintbrush, chisel, pen, pencil, or similar implement; a line or mark made by such an implement. In Unicode: the formal name of the individual horizontal strikethroughs (as in "A̶").

24. 24

    figurativeA single movement of a paintbrush, chisel, pen, pencil, or similar implement; a line or mark made by such an implement. The oblique, slash, or virgule ("/").

    Subject: Fire. Dear Sir-stroke-Madam: I am writing to inform you of a fire which has broken out at the premises of … No. That's too formal.

25. 25

    figurativeA distinctive expression in a written composition; a touch.

    to give some finishing strokes to an essay

26. 26

    archaicInfluence; power.

    [W]here ſoeuer poſſeſſyons be pryuate, where moneye beareth all the ſtroke, it is hard and almoſte impoſſyble that there the weale publyque maye iuſtelye be gouerned and proſperouſlye floryſhe: […]

    Theſame Alexander, be auiſed and coũſailed, that he ſhould winne and make frendes vnto him, all ſuche perſones both honeſt and vnhoneſt, good and badde, as beare any rule, ſtroke or autoritte, in the commen weale, and that the good men he ſhould vſe, and the euil perſones he ſhould abuſe, that is to ſaie, applie to ſome good vſe, that of theimſelfes they are not apte nor inclined vnto.

    For I find by Experience he has a great Stroke vvith the Reader, vvhen he condemns any of my Poems to make the VVorld have a better Opinion of them.

    Just somebody with a low lottery number, not enough stroke to get in the National Guard, and a distaste for tropical climates.

27. 27

    archaicInfluence; power. Backstage influence.

28. 28

    figurativeA masterful or effective action.

    To enable any other piece to effect the decisive stroke, a greater number of facilities, arising either from the coöperation of partisans, or the obstruction of the adverse king by his own pieces, must conspire in proportion to the assailant's class.

    Black gives the opponent and opportunity for a beautiful combination stroke. But his game was anyhow very bad already, for in answer to QR—R sq., which was about his only other alternative, White would have replied Kt—R5 with an irresistible attack.

29. 29

    A sudden interruption of blood supply to the brain, causing minor to major brain damage and possible death; it may be either hemorrhagic or thrombotic.

    suffer a stroke

30. 30

    An individual discharge of lightning, particularly if causing damage.

    A flash of lightning may be made up of several strokes. If they are separated by enough time for the eye to distinguish them, the lightning will appear to flicker.

31. 31

    An individual social interaction whereby one gives another attention or recognition.

    Being gay and in prison is a very lonely experience. I would like to get some gay contacts on the outside that could give me some positive strokes.

32. 32

    obsoleteThe effect or result of a striking; affliction or injury; a bruise or wound; soreness.

    Moreover the light of the Moone ſhalbe as the light of the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne ſhall be ſeuenfold, as the light of ſeuen dayes, in the day that the Lord bindeth vp the breach of his people, and healeth the ſtroke of their wound.

33. 33

    obsoleteChiefly in to have a good stroke: appetite.

    [N]either can any man be entertain'd as a Soldier, that has not a greater ſtroke than ordinary at eating: for by this they judge of his ſtrength and conſtitution.

    Lady Answ[erall]. God bleſs you, Colonel; you have a good Stroke vvith you. / Col[onel Atwit]. O Madam; formerly I could eat all, but novv I leave nothing; I eat but one Meal a Day.

    Rooks are said to be fattest when food is scarcest, as they "owereat thorsels" when they have too much food. The same is said of lean children who have a good stroke (appetite).

    It distressed him, Joe said, to see them feeding like animals, without delicacy. Joe had a good stroke himself, but naturally not as good an appetite as he would have if he was doing anything.

34. 34

    obsoleteA sudden attack of any illness, especially if causing loss of consciousness or movement, or when fatal.

    a stroke of apoplexy

35. 35

    obsoleteA bow or pluck of a string or strings of a stringed instrument; also, the manner in which a musical instrument is played; hence, a melody, a tune.

    Or can he desire a nobler or a fuller Argument either for the softest Aires or the loudest Echoes, for the smoothest or briskest strokes of his Pindaric Lyre?

verb

1. 1

   To draw the horizontal line across the upright part (of the letter t).

2. 2

   Followed by out or through: to draw a line or lines through (text) to indicate that it is deleted; to cancel, to strike or strike out.

3. 3

   rareOf a bell or clock: to chime or sound to indicate (the hour, the time, etc.).

4. 4

   rareTo mark (something) with lines or stripes; to stripe.

5. 5

   To hit or kick (the ball) with a flowing or smooth motion; also, to score (a goal, a point, etc.) by doing so.

6. 6

   Of a rower or a crew: to row at (a rate of a certain number of strokes (“movements of the oar through water”) per minute).

7. 7

   To act as the stroke (“rower who is nearest the stern of the boat, the movement of whose oar sets the rowing rhythm for the other rowers”) of (a boat or its crew).

   to stroke a boat

8. 8

   To strike (the water) with one's arms and legs when swimming.

9. 9

   To lengthen the stroke of (an engine) by installing a crankshaft with longer throws.

   Yes, it's 'only' a small block, but it’s got some tricks up its sleeve — it's been bored, stroked, ported, polished, and fuel-injected.

10. 10

    obsoleteTo depict (something) with a paintbrush.

11. 11

    Chiefly followed by out: to suffer loss of brain function when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted; to have a stroke (noun sense 4).

12. 12

    To swim by making co-ordinated movements with the arms and legs.

verb

1. 1

   To move one's hand or an object (such as a broom or brush) along (a surface) in one direction, touching it lightly; to caress.

   His Majestie began first to touch for yᵉ evil, according to custome, thus: his Maᵗⁱᵉ sitting under his State in yᵉ Banquetting House, the Chirurgeons cause the sick to be brought or led up to the throne, where they kneeling, yᵉ King strokes their faces or cheekes with both his hands at once, at which instant a Chaplaine in his formalities says, "He put his hands upon them and he healed them."

   The tender Sire, vvho ſavv her bluſh, and cry, / Aſcrib'd it all to Maiden-modeſty, / And dry'd the falling Drops, and yet more kind, / He ſtroak'd her Cheeks, and holy Kiſſes join'd.

   The gravity and firmneſs of the mind is conſpicuous in his outvvard demeanor: his ſpeech is ſlovv, vveighty, and conciſe, he is ſeldom provoked to laughter, his only geſture is that of ſtroking his beard, the venerable ſymbol of manhood; and the ſenſe of his ovvn importance teaches him to accoſt his equals vvithout levity, and his ſuperiors vvithout avve.

   It [the guinea pig] ſtrokes its head vvith the fore feet like the rabbit; and, like it, ſits upon the hind feet; […]

2. 2

   To move one's hand or an object (such as a broom or brush) along (a surface) in one direction, touching it lightly; to caress. To masturbate.

3. 3

   figurativeTo bring (something) to a certain condition by stroking (sense 1).

4. 4

   figurativeTo give assurance to (someone) through encouragement.

   [W]hen thou cam'ſt firſt / Thou ſtroakſt me, & made much of me: […]

5. 5

   figurativeTo influence (someone) by convincing or flattering them.

6. 6

   To milk (a cow or other animal); especially, to squeeze the teat of (a cow, etc.) to extract the last bit of milk from the udder; to strap (dialectal), to strip.

7. 7

   To give a finely fluted surface to (stone) by carving it with a tool.

8. 8

   obsoleteTo sharpen (a knife or other cutting instrument) by honing or rubbing it against a surface.

9. 9

   figurativeTo soothe (someone); also, to flatter or indulge (someone).

noun

1. 1

   An act of moving one's hand or an object along a surface in one direction, touching it lightly; a caress.

   She gave the cat a stroke.

2. 2

   figurativeA gesture of assurance given as encouragement; specifically (psychoanalysis) in transactional analysis: a (generally positive) reaction expressed to a person which fulfils their desires or needs.

   Not providing a stroke to a client can sometimes facilitate the client in becoming aware of their neediness or desire for approval. By not giving a stroke, the client's need is brought to the surface, where it is amenable to change, […]

3. 3

   figurativeA flattering or friendly act, comment, etc., done or made to a person to influence them.

Forms

plural

strokes

past tense

stroked

past participle

stroked

present participle

stroking

third person singular

strokes