stroke

UK: /ˈstrəʊk/ US: /stroʊk/ ,(strōk)

Inflections of 'stroke' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

strokes

v 3rd person singular

stroking

v pres p

stroked

v past

stroked

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

stroke¹ /stroʊk/   n., v., stroked, strok•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. an act or instance of striking or hitting, as with the fist or a hammer;
   a blow.
2. a striking of a clapper or hammer, as on a bell, or the sound produced by this:
   at the stroke of midnight.
3. Pathology a blockage or breaking of a blood vessel that leads to the brain:
   He suffered his third stroke in as many years.
4. a sudden, strong action or movement that is like a blow in its effect:
   a stroke of lightning.
5. Sport a hitting of the ball in tennis, pool, etc..
6. a single complete movement, esp. one continuously repeated in some process, as in swimming:
   a swimming stroke.
7. Fine Art a movement of a pen, pencil, brush, or the like;
   a mark made by such a movement:
   a few strokes of the brush.
8. a feat or achievement, esp. one that comes suddenly:
   a stroke of genius.
9. a sudden, accidental or chance happening:
   a stroke of luck.

v. [~ + object]

10. to mark with a stroke or strokes;
    cancel, as by a stroke of a pen.
11. Sport to hit (a ball) in tennis, golf, baseball, etc.:
    He stroked the next pitch over the fence.

stroke² /stroʊk/   v., stroked, strok•ing, n. 
v. [~ + object]

1. to pass the hand or an instrument over gently, as in caressing:
   He stroked his cat absent-mindedly.
2. Informal Terms to promote feelings of self-approval in, as by flattery:
   He's just trying to stroke the boss; he really doesn't mean a word he says.

n. [countable]

3. an act or instance of stroking:
   a gentle stroke on the arm.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

stroke¹ (strōk),  n., v., stroked, strok•ing. 

n. 

1. the act or an instance of striking, as with the fist, a weapon, or a hammer;
   a blow.
2. a hitting of or upon anything.
3. a striking of a clapper or hammer, as on a bell.
4. the sound produced by this.
5. a throb or pulsation, as of the heart.
6. Pathology Also called apoplexy, cerebrovascular accident. a blockage or hemorrhage of a blood vessel leading to the brain, causing inadequate oxygen supply and, depending on the extent and location of the abnormality, such symptoms as weakness, paralysis of parts of the body, speech difficulties, and, if severe, loss of consciousness or death.
7. something likened to a blow in its effect, as in causing pain, injury, or death;
   an attack of apoplexy or paralysis.
8. a destructive discharge of lightning.
9. a vigorous movement, as if in dealing a blow.
10. Sport a hitting of a ball, as by the swing of a racquet in tennis or the controlled jabbing or thrusting with the cue in pool and billiards.
11. a single complete movement, esp. one continuously repeated in some process.
12. [Mach.]
    • Mechanical Engineering one of a series of alternating continuous movements of something back and forth over or through the same line.
    • Mechanical Engineering the complete movement of a moving part, esp. a reciprocating part, in one direction.
    • Mechanical Engineering the distance traversed in such a movement.
    • Mechanical Engineering a half revolution of an engine during which the piston travels from one extreme of its range to the other.
13. Sport [Swimming.]
    • a type or method of swimming:
      The crawl is a rapid stroke.
    • each of the successive movements of the arms and legs in propelling the body through the water.
14. Sport [Rowing.]
    • a single pull of the oar.
    • the manner or style of moving the oars.
    • Also called stroke oar. the crew member nearest to the stern of the boat, to whose strokes those of the other crew members must conform.
15. Fine Art a movement of a pen, pencil, brush, graver, or the like.
16. Fine Art a mark traced by or as if by one movement of a pen, pencil, brush, or the like.
17. a distinctive or effective touch in a literary composition:
    His style revealed the stroke of a master.
18. a single or minimal act, piece, or amount of work, activity, etc.:
    to refuse to do a stroke of work.
19. an attempt to attain some object:
    a bold stroke for liberty.
20. a measure adopted for a particular purpose.
21. a keystroke:
    no more than 65 strokes to the line for business letters.
22. a feat or achievement:
    a stroke of genius.
23. a sudden or chance happening, as of luck or fortune.

v.t. 

24. to mark with a stroke or strokes, as of a pen;
    cancel, as by a stroke of a pen.
25. Sport [Rowing.]
    • to row as a stroke oar of (a boat or crew).
    • to set the stroke for the crew of (a boat).
26. Sport to hit (a ball), as with a deliberate, smooth swing of a bat or club.

• 1250–1300; Middle English strok, strak (noun, nominal), probably continuing Old English *strāc (whence strācian to stroke²); cognate with German Streich; akin to strike

Synonyms

• 1. rap, tap, knock, pat.
• 1, 7. See blow ¹.
• 5. beat, thump; rhythm.

stroke²  (strōk), v., stroked, strok•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to pass the hand or an instrument over (something or somebody) lightly or with little pressure;
   rub gently, as in soothing or caressing.
2. Informal Terms to promote feelings of self-approval in;
   flatter.

n. 

3. an act or instance of stroking;
   a stroking movement.

• bef. 900; Middle English stroken (verb, verbal), Old English strācian; cognate with German streichen; akin to strike

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stroke / strəʊk/ noun

1. the act or an instance of striking; a blow, knock, or hit
2. a sudden action, movement, or occurrence: a stroke of luck
3. a brilliant or inspired act or feat: a stroke of genius
4. apoplexy; rupture of a blood vessel in the brain resulting in loss of consciousness, often followed by paralysis, or embolism or thrombosis affecting a cerebral vessel
5. the striking of a clock
6. the hour registered by the striking of a clock: on the stroke of three
7. a mark, flourish, or line made by a writing implement
8. another name for slash12
9. a light touch or caress, as with the fingers
10. a pulsation, esp of the heart
11. a single complete movement or one of a series of complete movements
12. the act or manner of striking the ball with a racket, club, bat, etc
13. any one of the repeated movements used by a swimmer to propel himself or herself through the water
14. a manner of swimming, esp one of several named styles such as the crawl or butterfly
15. any one of a series of linear movements of a reciprocating part, such as a piston
16. the distance travelled by such a part from one end of its movement to the other
17. a single pull on an oar or oars in rowing
18. manner or style of rowing
19. the oarsman who sits nearest the stern of a shell, facing the cox, and sets the rate of striking for the rest of the crew
20. a stroke, a stroke of work ⇒ (usually used with a negative) a small amount of work
21. off one's stroke ⇒ performing or working less well than usual
22. on the stroke of ⇒ punctually at

verb

1. (transitive) to touch, brush, or caress lightly or gently
2. (transitive) to mark a line or a stroke on or through
3. to act as the stroke of (a racing shell)
4. (transitive) to strike (a ball) with a smooth swinging blow

Etymology: Old English strācian; related to Middle Low German strēken; see strike

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

vir•gule /ˈvɜrgyul/   n. [countable]

1. Printing a short diagonal stroke (/) between two words indicating that either one may be chosen to complete the sense of the text:
   The defendant and/or his/her attorney must appear in court.
2. Printing a dividing line, as in dates or fractions, a run-in passage of poetry in order to show verse division, etc. Also called diagonal. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

vir•gule  (vûr′gyo̅o̅l), n. [Print.]

1. Printing a short oblique stroke (/) between two words indicating that whichever is appropriate may be chosen to complete the sense of the text in which they occur:
   The defendant and/or his/her attorney must appear in court.
2. Printing a dividing line, as in dates, fractions, a run-in passage of poetry to show verse division, etc.:
   3/21/27* 3/4;
   Sweetest love I do not go/For weariness of thee.
   Also called diagonal, separatrix, shilling mark, slant, slash, solidus;
    [esp. Brit.,] stroke. 

• Latin virgula; see virgulate
• French virgule comma, little rod
• 1830–40