Word: strike Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English stryken, from Old English strīcan, from Proto-West Germanic *strīkan, from Proto-Germanic *strīkaną, from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, rub, press”). Cognate with Dutch strijken, German streichen, Danish stryge, Icelandic strýkja, strýkva. Pronunciation: /stɹaɪk/, /stiː.ɹaɪk/, [stiː.ɹ̠ʌɪ̯k(ʰ)] 1. A status resulting from a batter swinging and missing a pitch, or not swinging at a pitch when the ball goes in the strike zone, or hitting a foul ball that is not caught. Example: It was then I knew I had made my third mistake. Yes, three strikes right across the plate, and as I hollered "Honey, please wait" she was gone. 2. The act of knocking down all ten pins on the first roll of a frame. 3. A work stoppage (or otherwise concerted stoppage of an activity) as a form of protest. 4. A blow or application of physical force against something. Example: Thus hand strikes now include single knuckle strikes, knife hand strikes, finger strikes, ridge hand strikes etc., and leg strikes include front kicks, knee strikes, axe kicks,[…] Example: […] and they could hear the rough sound, could hear too the first strikes of rain as though called down by the music. 5. An attack, not necessarily physical. Labels: broadly Example: air strike; first strike 6. In an option contract, the price at which the holder buys or sells if they choose to exercise the option. 7. An old English measure of corn equal to the bushel. Labels: historical Example: The sum is also used for the quarter, and the strike for the bushel. 8. The status of being the batsman that the bowler is bowling at. Example: The batsmen have crossed, and Dhoni now has the strike. 9. The primary face of a hammer, opposite the peen. 10. The compass direction of the line of intersection between a rock layer and the surface of the Earth or another solid celestial body. 11. An instrument with a straight edge for levelling a measure of grain, salt, etc., scraping off what is above the level of the top; a strickle. 12. Fullness of measure; the whole amount produced at one time. Labels: obsolete Example: a strike of malt; a strike of coin 13. Excellence; quality. Labels: broadly, obsolete Example: […]our cellarer shall have orders to deliver to thee a butt of sack, a runlet of Malvesie, and three hogsheads of ale of the first strike, yearly—If that will not quench thy thirst, thou must come to court, and become acquainted with my butler. 14. An iron pale or standard in a gate or fence. 15. A puddler's stirrer. 16. The extortion of money, or the attempt to extort money, by threat of injury; blackmail. Labels: obsolete 17. The discovery of a source of something. Example: The dawn of the oil age was fairly recent. Although the stuff was used to waterproof boats in the Middle East 6,000 years ago, extracting it in earnest began only in 1859 after an oil strike in Pennsylvania. The first barrels of crude fetched $18 (around $450 at today’s prices). 18. The strike plate of a door. 19. A nibble on the bait by a fish. Example: I must admit that my focus was divided, which limited my fishing success. I made a few casts, then arranged my inanimate subjects and took photos. When my indicator went down on my first strike, I cleanly missed the hook up. 20. A cancellation postmark. 21. An imperfect matrix for type. Labels: historical