Saturday, May 24, 2008

My Favorite Word

There are a lot of contenders, but right now, for its luminous versatility, it has to be this one:

strike |strīk|
verb ( past struck |strək|)
1 [ trans. ] hit forcibly and deliberately with one's hand or a weapon or other implement : he raised his hand, as if to strike me | one man was struck on the head with a stick | [ intrans. ] Edgar struck out at her.
• inflict (a blow) : [with two objs. ] he struck her two blows on the leg.
• accidentally hit (a part of one's body) against something : she fell, striking her head against the side of the boat.
• come into forcible contact or collision with : he was struck by a car on Whitepark Road.
• (in sporting contexts) hit or kick (a ball) so as to score a run, point, or goal : he struck the ball into the back of the net.
• [ intrans. ] (of a clock) indicate the time by sounding a chime or stroke : [with complement ] the church clock struck twelve.
• produce (fire or a spark) as a result of friction : his iron stick struck sparks from the pavement.
• bring (an electric arc) into being.
2 [ trans. ] (of a disaster, disease, or other unwelcome phenomenon) occur suddenly and have harmful or damaging effects on : an earthquake struck the island | [ intrans. ] tragedy struck when he was killed in a car crash | [as adj. in combination ] ( struck) storm-struck areas.
• [ intrans. ] carry out an aggressive or violent action, typically without warning : it was eight months before the murderer struck again.
• (usu. be struck down) kill or seriously incapacitate (someone) : he was struck down by a mystery virus.
• [ trans. ] cause (someone) to be in a specified state : he was struck dumb.
3 [ trans. ] (of a thought or idea) come into the mind of (someone) suddenly or unexpectedly : a disturbing thought struck Melissa.
• cause (someone) to have a particular impression : [with clause ] it struck him that Marjorie was unusually silent | the idea struck her as odd.
• ( be struck by/with) find particularly interesting, noticeable, or impressive : Lucy was struck by the ethereal beauty of the scene.
• [ trans. ] undertake such action against (an employer).
5 [ trans. ] cancel, remove, or cross out with or as if with a pen : strike his name from the list | striking words through with a pen.
• ( strike someone off) officially remove someone from membership of a professional group : he had been struck off as a disgrace to the profession.
• ( strike something down) abolish a law or regulation : the law was struck down by the Supreme Court.
6 [ trans. ] make (a coin or medal) by stamping metal.
• reach, achieve, or agree to (something involving agreement, balance, or compromise) : the team has struck a deal with a sports marketing agency | you have to strike a happy medium.
• (in financial contexts) reach (a figure) by balancing an account : last year's loss was struck after allowing for depreciation of 67 million dollars.
7 [ trans. ] discover (gold, minerals, or oil) by drilling or mining.
• [ intrans. ] ( strike on/upon) discover or think of, esp. unexpectedly or by chance : pondering, she struck upon a brilliant idea.
• come to or reach : several days out of the village, we struck the Gilgit Road.
8 [ intrans. ] move or proceed vigorously or purposefully : she struck out into the lake with a practiced crawl | he struck off down the track.
• ( strike out) start out on a new or independent course or endeavor : after two years he was able to strike out on his own.
9 [ trans. ] take down (a tent or the tents of an encampment) : it took ages to strike camp.
• dismantle (theatrical scenery) : the minute we finish this evening, they'll start striking the set.
• lower or take down (a flag or sail), esp. as a salute or to signify surrender : the ship struck her German colors.
10 [ trans. ] insert (a cutting of a plant) in soil to take root.
• [ intrans. ] (of a plant or cutting) develop roots : small conifers will strike from cuttings.
• [ intrans. ] (of a young oyster) attach itself to a bed.
11 [ intrans. ] Fishing secure a hook in the mouth of a fish by jerking or tightening the line after it has taken the bait or fly.
1 a refusal to work organized by a body of employees as a form of protest, typically in an attempt to gain a concession or concessions from their employer : dockers voted for an all-out strike | local government workers went on strike | [as adj. ] strike action.
• [with adj. ] a refusal to do something expected or required, typically by a body of people, with a similar aim : a rent strike.
2 a sudden attack, typically a military one : the threat of nuclear strikes.
3 a discovery of gold, minerals, or oil by drilling or mining : the Lena goldfields strike of 1912.
• something to one's discredit : when they returned from Vietnam they had two strikes against them.
5 the horizontal or compass direction of a stratum, fault, or other geological feature.
6 short for fly strike .


strike a balance
strike a blow for (or at/against)
strike a chord
strike at the root (or roots) of
strike hands
strike home
strike it rich
strike me pink
strike a pose
strike while the iron is hot


strike back
strike in
strike someone out (or strike out)
• ( strike out) informal fail or be unsuccessful
strike up (or strike something up) (of a band or orchestra)


Old English strīcan [go, flow] and [rub lightly] ; related to German streichen ‘to stroke,’ also to stroke . The sense [deliver a blow] dates from Middle English .

No comments: