ENGLISH
REFERENCE

strike

v. · n.
US //ˈstɹaɪk// UK //stɹˈaɪk// strike
Irregular verb past struck past participle struck
  1. 1 to hit (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to hit someone or something with your hand, a tool, or a weapon.

    to deliver a physical blow or to come into forceful contact with a surface.

    Example

    The boxer managed to strike his opponent in the final seconds of the round.

    Example

    The falling debris continued to strike the pavement with terrifying force, making it impossible for rescue crews to approach the building safely.
  2. 2 to stop work (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to stop working for a period of time because you want better pay or conditions.

    to engage in a concerted refusal to work as a form of industrial protest.

    Example

    The train drivers decided to strike after the company refused to increase their wages.

    Example

    Union members voted overwhelmingly to strike, effectively halting production across all three manufacturing plants until a new contract could be negotiated.
Show 6 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 to occur to someone (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to suddenly come into your mind as a thought or an idea.

    to occur to the mind of someone, often with a sense of suddenness or clarity.

    Example

    It didn't strike me until later that I had left my keys in the car.

    Example

    It struck the lead investigator as odd that the witness could remember the colour of the car but not the driver's face.
    • occur to
    • dawn on
  2. 4 to find something (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    to suddenly find something valuable, like gold or oil, under the ground.

    to discover a source of raw material, particularly through drilling or mining.

    Example

    The company spent millions on drilling before they finally managed to strike oil.

    Example

    Geologists are optimistic that the new survey will help the mining firm strike a rich vein of copper in the northern hills.
  3. 5 to remove or delete (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Law

    to remove a name or a piece of writing from an official list or record.

    to delete or eliminate something from a record, often by drawing a line through it.

    Example

    The judge ordered the lawyer to strike the last comment from the record.

    Example

    The committee decided to strike the controversial clause from the final draft of the agreement to ensure a unanimous vote.
  4. 6 work stoppage (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a period of time when workers refuse to work as a protest.

    a period of industrial action during which employees refuse to work.

    Example

    The postal strike meant that no letters were delivered for three days.

    Example

    The general strike paralyzed the city's infrastructure, forcing the government to return to the bargaining table with the transport unions.
  5. 7 military attack (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Military

    a sudden attack, especially by planes or missiles.

    a sudden military attack, typically an aerial bombardment or a precision missile launch.

    Example

    The air strike destroyed several enemy buildings near the border.

    Example

    The military command authorised a surgical strike against the communications hub to disrupt the enemy's ability to coordinate their forces.
  6. 8 bowling/baseball (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    in bowling, knocking down all the pins at once; in baseball, a missed swing.

    a specific scoring event in sports, such as clearing all pins in bowling or a failed batting attempt in baseball.

    Example

    He was so happy when he got a strike in the final frame of the game.

    Example

    The pitcher threw a perfect curveball, earning his third strike of the inning and sending the batter back to the dugout.

Origin

From Middle English stryken, from Old English strīcan, from Proto-West Germanic strīkan, from Proto-Germanic strīkaną, from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, rub, press”). Cognate with Dutch strijken, German streichen, Danish stryge, Icelandic strýkja, strýkva.

Word family
Idioms15 entries

© 2026 English Reference