Definition of "stroke"

An act of hitting; a blow, a hit.  quotations

1. An act of striking with a weapon; a blow.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

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

     1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, stanza 30, page 265

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

     1695, William Temple, An Introduction to the History of England, London: […] Richard Simpson […], and Ralph Simpson […], page 13

   • 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.

     1806, William Wordsworth, “The Horn of Egremont Castle”, in Poems, in Two Volumes, volume I, London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], published 1807, page 40

   • When this idea intruded on the train of romantic visions which agitated him, it was like the sharp stroke of the harpoon, which awakens the whale from torpidity into violent action.

     1829 May 2, [Walter Scott], chapter VIII, in Anne of Geierstein; or, The Maiden of the Mist. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Company] for Cadell and Co., […]; London: Simpkin and Marshall, […], page 226

   • The men who held the ropes were French soldiers, and by broken Italian phrases and strokes from the knotted end of a rope, they from time to time stimulated their prisoners to beg.

     1862 July – 1863 August, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “The Prisoners”, in Romola. […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1863, book II, page 21

2. A single movement with a tool; also, an impact of a tool on an object.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • [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: […]

     1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Deuteronomy 19:5, column 2

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

     1697, Virgil, “The Fourth Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], page 129, lines 253–255

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

     1834–1838 (date written), Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Horatius”, in Lays of Ancient Rome, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, […], published 1842, stanza 7, page 49

3. An act, or the sound, of the clapper or hammer of a clock hitting a bell or other striking mechanism; hence, the time when such a strike occurs.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • 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!

     1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave I. Marley’s Ghost.”, in A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, London: Chapman & Hall, […], page 35

   • 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.

     2012 May 9, John Percy, “Birmingham City 2 Blackpool 2 (2–3 on agg[regate]): match report”, in Tony Gallagher, editor, The Daily Telegraph‎, London: Telegraph Media Group, archived from the original on 23 July 2021

4. (ball games) An act of hitting or trying to hit a ball; also, the manner in which this is done.

   1. (cricket) The action of hitting the ball with the bat; a shot.  examples

   2. (golf) 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.  examples

   3. (squash) A point awarded to a player in case of interference or obstruction by the opponent.  examples

   4. (tennis) The hitting of a ball with a racket; also, the movement of the racket and arm that produces that impact.  examples

A movement similar to that of hitting.

1. One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished.

   1. (rowing)

      1. The movement of an oar or paddle through water, either the pull which actually propels the boat, or a single entire cycle of movement including the pull; also, the manner in which such movements are made; a rowing style.  examples

      2. (by extension) The rower who is nearest the stern of the boat, the movement of whose oar sets the rowing rhythm for the other rowers; also, the position in the boat occupied by this rower.  examples

   2. (swimming) A specific combination of movements of the arms and legs which, when repeated, causes the swimmer to advance through the water; also, the manner in which such movements are made; a swimming style.  quotations  examples

      Quotations

      • 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.

        1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, pages 165–166

2. A beat or throb, as of the heart or pulse.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • [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.

     1847, Alfred Tennyson, “Part VI”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], page 157

3. (technology) A single movement or thrust of a part (such as a piston) of a machine that moves back and forth; also, the length of this movement.

   1. (by extension) A thrust of the penis during sexual intercourse.  examples

(figuratively)

1. An act causing hurt or death, especially when seen as divine punishment.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • 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.

     a. 1530 (date written), John Skelton, “Magnyfycence, a Goodly Interlude and a Mery, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, page 287, lines 1908–1911

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

     1612 January 5 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Francis Beaumont, Iohn Fletcher, A King and No King. […], London: […] [John Beale] for Thomas Walkley, […], published 1619, Act I, page 4

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

     1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, lines 470–471

   • [H]ovv the royal Bard did groaning lye, / Beneath the ſtroke of Heaven's avenging ire; […]

     1785–1786 (date written; published 1786), Robert Burns, “The Cotter’s Saturday Night”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, 2nd edition, volume II, Edinburgh: […] T[homas] Cadell, […], and William Creech, […], published 1793, stanza XIV, page 12

   • The Professor, treating the murderous assault upon him by Juan Manuel Harispe very lightly, and regarding it simply as a significant point d'arrêt to his gallantries towards Manuelita, not to be passed over in its portents any more than the first stroke of disease which attacks thrice before it kills, limited his arrangement of precautionary measures to giving Señor Harispe, his niece, and his establishment a very wide berth; […]

     1860, George Augustus Sala, “Philip Leslie”, in The Baddington Peerage: Who Won, and Who Wore It. A Story of the Best and the Worst Society. […], volume I, London: Charles J. Skeet, […], page 306

2. A damaging occurrence, especially if sudden; a blow, a calamity.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • 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.

     1686 April 25 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, page 626

   • 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.

     1767, [Walter Harte], “Eulogius: Or, The Charitable Mason”, in The Amaranth: Or, Religious Poems; […], London: […] Mess. Robinson and Roberts, […]; and W. Frederick, […], page 200

   • 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.

     1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The Unprotected”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume I, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, page 145

3. An amount of work; specifically, a large amount of business or work.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • ["]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]?"

     1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Kentuck”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume I, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, page 59

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

5. A movement of a brush in painting, of a chisel in carving, of a pen, pencil, or such implement in drawing or writing, etc., in one direction; hence, a line or mark made on a surface by such an implement.  quotations

   Quotations

   • 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.

     1762, Horace Walpole, “Painters and Other Artists in the Reign of James I”, in Anecdotes of Painting in England; […], volume II, London: […] Thomas Farmer […], footnote †, page 38

   1. (linguistics) A line making up a written character; specifically, a Chinese, Japanese, or Korean character.  examples

   2. (typography)

      1. (computing) In Unicode: the formal name of the individual horizontal strikethroughs (as in "A̶").  examples

      2. (Britain) The oblique, slash, or virgule ("/").  quotations  examples

         Quotations

         • 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.

           2006 February 3, Graham Linehan, “Calamity Jen”, in The IT Crowd, season 1, episode 2

6. A distinctive expression in a written composition; a touch.  examples

7. (chiefly archaic) Influence; power.  quotations

   Quotations

   • [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: […]

     1551, Thomas More, “The Fyrste Boke of the Communycacion of Raphaell Hythlodaye Concernynge the Best State of a Commen Wealthe”, in Raphe Robynson [i.e., Ralph Robinson], transl., A Fruteful, and Pleasaunt Worke of the Best State of a Publyque Weale, and of the Newe Yle Called Utopia: […], London: […] [Steven Mierdman for] Abraham Vele, […]

   • 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.

     1564 February, Erasmus, “The Saiynges of Philippus Kyng of Macedonie”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas Udall], transl., Apophthegmes, that is to Saie, Prompte, Quicke, Wittie and Sentẽcious Saiynges, […], London: […] Ihon Kingston, book II, folio 122, recto, paragraph 16

   • 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.

     1700, [John] Dryden, “Preface”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]

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

     1993, Dana Stabenow, chapter 5, in A Fatal Thaw (A Kate Shugak Mystery), Hampton Falls, N.H.: Beeler Large Print, Thomas T. Beeler, published 2002, page 78

   1. (professional wrestling) Backstage influence.  examples

8. (turn-based games) A masterful or effective action.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • 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.

     1817, François-André Danican Philidor (translated), Studies of Chess, Samuel Bagster, page 106

   • 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.

     1889, Wilhelm Steinitz, The Modern Chess Instructor, G. P. Putnam's sons, page 29

(medicine) The loss of brain function arising when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted.  examples

(sciences) An individual discharge of lightning, particularly if causing damage.  examples

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

(obsolete)

1. The effect or result of a striking; affliction or injury; a bruise or wound; soreness.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • 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.

     1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Isaiah 30:26, column 2

2. Chiefly in to have a good stroke: appetite.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • [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.

     1699, William Dampier, “Of the Government of Tonquin. […]”, in Voyages and Descriptions. Vol. II. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], part I (His Voyage from Achin in Sumatra, to Tonquin, […]), page 71

   • 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.

     1731 (date written), Simon Wagstaff [pseudonym; Jonathan Swift], “Dialogue II”, in A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, […], London: […] B[enjamin] Motte […], published 1738, page 150

   • 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).

     1893–1894, Oliver Heslop, “OWEREAT”, in Northumberland Words: A Glossary of Words Used in the County of Northumberland and on the Tyneside, volume II, London: For the English Dialect Society by Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press, […], page 518

   • 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.

     a. 1968 (date written), Walter Macken, “The Dreamer”, in The Grass of the People, Dingle, Co. Kerry: Brandon, published 1998, page 212

   • It was said of him that he had a good stroke which simply meant in the everyday idiom of the place that he was possessed of a healthy appetite.

     1995, John B[rendan] Keane, “Something Drastic”, in The Voice of an Angel and Other Christmas Stories, Dublin: Mercier Press, page 88

3. (medicine) A sudden attack of any illness, especially if causing loss of consciousness or movement, or when fatal.  examples

4. (music) A 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.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • 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?

     1667 March 22 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Epistolary Correspondence.] To Abraham Cowley, Esq.”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, part I, page 175

(transitive)

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

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.  examples

3. (poetic, rare) Of a bell or clock: to chime or sound to indicate (the hour, the time, etc.).

4. (rare) To mark (something) with lines or stripes; to stripe.

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

6. (rowing)

   1. 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).  examples

   2. 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).  examples

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

8. (obsolete) To depict (something) with a paintbrush.

(intransitive)

1. (medicine) 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).  examples

2. (swimming) To swim by making co-ordinated movements with the arms and legs.  examples

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.  quotations  examples

(also figuratively) To bring (something) to a certain condition by stroking (sense 1).  examples

(figuratively)

1. (especially psychoanalysis) To give assurance to (someone) through encouragement.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

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

     1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii], page 4, column 2

2. (by extension, chiefly US, politics) To influence (someone) by convincing or flattering them.  examples

(agriculture) 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.  examples

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

(obsolete)

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

2. (figuratively) To soothe (someone); also, to flatter or indulge (someone).  examples

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

(figuratively)

1. (psychoanalysis) in transactional analysis: a (generally positive) reaction expressed to a person which fulfils their desires or needs.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • 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, […]

     2009, Mark Widdowson, Transactional Analysis: 100 Key Points and Techniques, page 246

2. (chiefly US) A flattering or friendly act, comment, etc., done or made to a person to influence them.  examples