v. 1 hit, deal a blow to, knock, smack, thump, thwack, crown, cuff, punch, smite; beat, hammer, belabour, batter, pummel or pommel, pelt, buffet, thrash; cudgel, bludgeon, club, whip, horsewhip, scourge, lash, cane, flog, birch, slap, Colloq wallop, slug, whack, clout, sock, conk, belt, bash, lambaste, bop Small wonder he struck you after what you called his wife 2 deliver, deal, aim, direct He struck a blow for freedom 3 hit, collide with, land on or in or against, smash or bump or bang or crash or dash into, go or run into, impact Mrs Humphrey's car went out of control and struck a tree 4 remove, take away, take apart, dismantle, knock down; take or pull or haul down Stage-hands struck the set As the wind piped up we struck the mainsail. 5 Usually, strike off or from or out. obliterate, expunge, erase, eradicate, blot out, delete, scratch, eliminate, rub out, cross (out), cancel, wipe out, US x out After the scandal, his name was struck off the register Strike out any references that might be thought libellous. 6 light, ignite He struck a match to see where he was going 7 affect, impress, influence, afflict, Colloq hit The death of her kitten struck Mandy to the heart 8 make, reach, attain, conclude; agree or settle (on), ratify, confirm We struck a bargain on the sale of the car 9 occur or come to, dawn on or upon, Colloq hit, register (with) It suddenly struck me that you are leaving tomorrow 10 impress, print, stamp, punch, mint, make They have struck a new gold coin for collectors 11 instil, implant, induce Horror films struck fear into our hearts when we were children 12 assume, adopt, put on, display, affect, take on, feign He struck a supercilious pose of insouciant hauteur that annoyed her intensely 13 Often, strike down. afflict, affect, attack, indispose, incapacitate, disable, cripple, invalid Polio struck her down in the prime of life 14 encounter, come or happen or hit upon, come across, chance upon, discover, stumble on, find The news is that they've struck oil in the North Sea 15 revolt, rebel, mutiny, walk out (of or off the job) The machinists struck at midnight, bringing the industry to a halt 16 strike on or upon. dream up, devise, conjure up, improvise, work out, invent, contrive, come up with, hit on or upon, arrive at The alchemist never did strike upon a way to turn lead into gold 17 strike out. a fail, get nowhere, Colloq US miss the boat, flop, come a cropper, Slang US blow it, blow the gaff, come to nothing or naught or nought Tim always strikes out when it comes to girls b See 5, above. 18 strike up. (cause to) begin or start or commence The band struck up We struck up an acquaintance aboard ship.
n. 19 attack, assault A dawn air strike is planned 20 walk-out, sit-down (strike), job action, slow-down, go-slow, work-to-rule They will call a strike if negotiations break down