Definition: Stroke

Etymology 1

The noun is derived from Middle English strok, stroke (blow from a weapon, cut), from Old English strāc, from Proto-West Germanic *straik, from Proto-Germanic *straikaz (stroke), from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (to rub, stroke; to shear; to strike).

In the sense of the oblique, slash, or virgule (/) is a contraction of oblique stroke, a variant of oblique which was originally used in telegraphy.

The verb is derived from the noun.

Noun

stroke (plural strokes)

1. An act of hitting; a blow, a hit.
   1. An act of striking with a weapon; a blow.
   2. A single movement with a tool; also, an impact of a tool on an object.
   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.

      Her clothes magically changed from a fancy outfit to rags on the stroke of midnight.

   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.
      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.
      3. (squash) A point awarded to a player in case of interference or obstruction by the opponent.
      4. (tennis) The hitting of a ball with a racket; also, the movement of the racket and arm that produces that impact.
2. 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.

      The stroke of a bird’s wing in flight.

      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.
         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.
      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.

         I never learned the butterfly stroke.

   2. A beat or throb, as of the heart or pulse.
   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.
   4. (figuratively)
      1. An act causing hurt or death, especially when seen as divine punishment.
      2. A damaging occurrence, especially if sudden; a blow, a calamity.
      3. An amount of work; specifically, a large amount of business or work.
      4. A powerful or sudden effort by which something is done or produced; also, something accomplished by such an effort; an achievement, a feat.

         I had a stroke of genius.

      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.
         1. (linguistics) A line making up a written character; specifically, a Chinese, Japanese, or Korean character.
         2. (computing) In Unicode: the formal name of the individual horizontal strikethroughs (as in "A̶").
      6. A distinctive expression in a written composition; a touch.

         I need to give some finishing strokes to my article.

      7. (turn-based games) A masterful or effective action.
3. (medicine) The loss of brain function arising when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted.
4. (sciences) An individual discharge of lightning, particularly if causing damage.

   A flash of lightning may be made up of several strokes. If they are separated by enough time for the eye to distinguish them, the lightning will appear to flicker.

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

Derived terms

• after-stroke
• backstroke
• bloodstroke
• breaststroke
• broad strokes
• brushstroke
• butterfly stroke
• downstroke
• exhaust stroke
• frontstroke
• hair stroke
• heat stroke
• keystroke
• masterstroke
• mini-stroke
• oblique stroke
• stroke of business
• stroke of fortune
• stroke of genius
• stroke of luck
• stroke of work
• sunstroke
• upstroke

Verb

stroke (third-person singular simple present strokes, present participle stroking, simple past and past participle stroked)

1. To draw the horizontal line across the upright part (of the letter t).
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.
3. (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.
4. (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).
   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).
5. (swimming) To strike (the water) with one's arms and legs when swimming.
6. (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.
7. (swimming) To swim by making co-ordinated movements with the arms and legs.

Derived terms

• stroke out

Etymology 2

The verb is derived from Middle English stroken, straken (to caress, fondle, pat, rub, smooth, stroke; to pass something over (someone or something); to brush or rub against) and other forms, from Old English strācian (to stroke), from Proto-West Germanic *straikōn (to caress, stroke), from *straik (a line, stroke; a dash) (see further at etymology 1) + *-ōn (suffix forming verbs from nouns). The noun is derived from the verb.

Verb

stroke (third-person singular simple present strokes, present participle stroking, simple past and past participle stroked)

1. 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.
2. (also figuratively) To bring (something) to a certain condition by stroking (sense 1).
3. (figuratively)
   1. (especially psychoanalysis) To give assurance to (someone) through encouragement.
   2. (politics) To influence (someone) by convincing or flattering them.
4. (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 strip.
5. (masonry) To give a finely fluted surface to (stone) by carving it with a tool.

Derived terms

• restroke
• strokable
• unstroked

Noun

stroke (plural strokes)

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

   She gave the cat a stroke.

2. (figuratively)
   1. A gesture of assurance given as encouragement; specifically (psychoanalysis) in transactional analysis: a (generally positive) reaction expressed to a person which fulfils their desires or needs.
   2. A flattering or friendly act, comment, etc., done or made to a person to influence them.

Credits

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