Stroke

Strōke, n.

noun

n. [From strike.] 1. A blow; the striking of one body against another.

The oars were silver, Which to the time of flutes kept stroke. Shak.

Sense 2. A hostile blow or attack.

He entered and won the whole kingdom of Naples without striking a stroke. Bacon.

Sense 3. A sudden attack of disease or affliction; calamity.

At this one stroke the man looked dead in law. Harte.

Sense 4. Fatal attack; as, the stroke of death.

Sense 5. The sound of the clock.

What is't o'clock? Upon the stroke of four. Shak.

Sense 6. A dash in writing or printing; a line; the touch of a pen or pencil.

O, lasting as those colors may they shine, Free as thy stroke, yet faultless as thy line. Pope.

Sense 7. A touch; a masterly effort; as, the boldest strokes of poetry.

He will give one of the finishing strokes to it. Addison.

Sense 8. An effort suddenly or unexpectedly produced; as, a bold stroke of genius.

Sense 9. Power; efficacy. [Obs. or rare.]

He has a great stroke with the reader, when he condemns any of my poems, to make the world have a better opinion of them. Dryden.

Sense 10. Series of operations; as, to carry on a great stroke in business. [Colloq.]

Sense 11. (Naut.) The sweep of an oar in rowing; as, to row with a long stroke.

Sense 12. (Steam-eng.) The entire movement of the piston from one end to the other of the cylinder.

The respective strokes are distinguished as up and down strokes, or front and back strokes, the front stroke being toward the cross-head. In the United States, the stroke of a locomotive piston toward the front of the vehicle is called the front stroke. The term is also applied to the movement of the cross-head and other parts moving with the piston. The movement of a slide-valve is called its travel or throw. The movement of a crank or an eccentric is called its throw.

Strōke, imp.

Strōke, n.

Strōke, v. t.