I. ˈstrīd verb
( strode -rōd ; strid·den -rid ə n ; strid·ing -rīdiŋ ; strides )
Etymology: Middle English striden, from Old English strīdan; akin to Middle Low German striden to straddle, Old High German strītan to quarrel, fight, Old Norse strītha to fight, strīthr strong, hard, stiff, Old English starian to stare — more at stare
intransitive verb
1.
a. obsolete : to stand with the legs wide apart : straddle
b. : to give the appearance of standing astride
hills rising from the water and the striding bridges — R.L.Shayon
antennas would stride north Atlantic ice caps — K.E.Mundt
2. : to move or walk with or as if with long steps
strode to the door — J.C.Lincoln
was his custom to stride up and down the street — American Guide Series: Oregon
3. : to take a very long step
strode over the pail — Arnold Bennett
transitive verb
1. : bestride , straddle
2. : to pass over at a step : step over
3. : to move or walk over, along, or about with or as if with long measured steps
found the great man impatiently striding the floor — Time
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English stride, stryde, strede, from Old English stride; akin to Middle Low German strede stride, Old English strīdan to stride
1.
a. : the distance measured by a long step
b. : the distance covered by a runner in one leg cycle
2.
a.
(1) : an act of striding : a lengthy walking step
merely marched … briskly, stamping hard at every stride — D.L.Busk
walked … with a kind of finality in the stride , as though she had made up her mind — R.P.Warren
(2) : something resembling a stride
gathered many honors in his stride through a long and useful life — A.W.Long
a giant crane lifted steel girders with an effortless stride — Louis Bromfield
b. : a long dance step
3. : a standing position in which the legs are spread apart either laterally or forward and back
4. : a stage of progress : a decisive movement toward a future goal : advance
have made extraordinary strides in invention — T.W.Arnold
the strides made in recent years in keeping the American public informed — Lou Smyth
5.
a. : an act of locomotion consisting of a cycle of movements completed when an animal's feet regain the initial relative positions ; also : the distance traversed in such a movement — used especially of a horse
b. : the most effective natural pace : the full motion or height of activity
he had just got into his stride when the lady interrupted him with a remark — W.S.Maugham
the laughter threw the Minister out of his stride , he … presently brought his remarks to a close — E.H.Collis
6. : a manner of walking with distinctively long steps
watched her lithe stride … as she drew away — Zane Grey
swinging his arms and stepping higher … so that his stride was one of majesty — Roark Bradford
7. strides plural , Britain : trousers
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- in stride