strike: to touch or hit with some force, either with the hand or with an instrument; to smite; to give a blow to, either with the hand or with any instrument or missile.-to come in collision with; to strike against; as, a bullet struck him; the wave struck the boat amidships; the ship struck a reef.-to give, as a blow; to impel, as with a blow; to give a force to; to dash; to cast.-to stamp or impress with a stroke; to coin; as, to strike coin from metal: to strike dollars at the mint.-to thrust in; to cause to enter or penetrate; to set in the earth; as, a tree strikes its roots deep.-to punish; to afflict; to smite.-to cause to sound by one or more beats; to indicate or notify by audible strokes; as, the clock strikes twelve; the drums strike up a march.-to lower; to let or take down; to remove; as, to strike sail; to strike a flag or an ensign, as in token of surrender; to strike a yard or a topmast in a gale; to strike a tent; to strike the centering of an arch.-to make a sudden impression upon, as by a blow; to affect sensibly with some strong emotion; as, to strike the mind, with surprise; to strike one with wonder, alarm, dread, or horror.-to affect in some particular manner by a sudden impression or impulse; as, the plan proposed strikes me favorably; to strike one dead or blind.-to cause or produce by a stroke, or suddenly, as by a stroke; as, to strike a light.-to cause to ignite; as, to strike a match.-to make and ratify; as, to strike a bargain.-to take forcibly or fraudulently; as, to strike money.-to level, as a measure of grain, salt, or the like, by scraping off with a straight instrument what is above the level of the top.-to cut off, as a mortar joint, even with the face of the wall, or inward at a slight angle.-to hit upon, or light upon, suddenly; as, my eye struck a strange word; they soon struck the trail.-to borrow money of; to make a demand upon; as, he struck a friend for five dollars.-to lade into a cooler, as a liquor.-to stroke or pass lightly; to wave.-to advance; to cause to go forward; -- used only in past participle.-to move; to advance; to proceed; to take a course; as, to strike into the fields.-to deliver a quick blow or thrust; to give blows.-to hit; to collide; to dush; to clash; as, a hammer strikes against the bell of a clock.-to sound by percussion, with blows, or as with blows; to be struck; as, the clock strikes.-to make an attack; to aim a blow.-to touch; to act by appulse.-to run upon a rock or bank; to be stranded; as, the ship struck in the night.-to pass with a quick or strong effect; to dart; to penetrate.-to break forth; to commence suddenly; -- with into; as, to strike into reputation; to strike into a run.-to lower a flag, or colors, in token of respect, or to signify a surrender of a ship to an enemy.-to quit work in order to compel an increase, or prevent a reduction, of wages.-to become attached to something; -- said of the spat of oysters.-to steal money.-the act of striking.-an instrument with a straight edge for leveling a measure of grain, salt, and the like, scraping off what is above the level of the top; a strickle.-a bushel; four pecks.-an old measure of four bushels.-fullness of measure; hence, excellence of quality.-an iron pale or standard in a gate or fence.-the act of quitting work; specifically, such an act by a body of workmen, done as a means of enforcing compliance with demands made on their employer.-a puddler's stirrer.-the horizontal direction of the outcropping edges of tilted rocks; or, the direction of a horizontal line supposed to be drawn on the surface of a tilted stratum. it is at right angles to the dip.-the extortion of money, or the attempt to extort money, by threat of injury; blackmailing.