1. One of a series of unbroken, repeated movements: "Every day the swimmer practiced his back stroke in hopes of increasing his speed."
2. The unexpected result of something: "Berhard had a stroke of luck when he went shopping and bought his new car when it was on sale."

A medical condition characterized by such things as the sudden loss of consciousness, caused by the obstruction of blood in an artery to the brain: "Gudryn's friend is in the hospital because she had a stroke but she is expected to recover well."

The marking of time by hitting a bell to produce a sound: "The race will start at the stroke of noon as indicated by the village clock."

To draw a short line through something or on something: "The professor used a red pencil to stroke through the misspelled words in the essay."

"Marie kept track of the days before her holidays started by making a stroke on her calendar for each day."

1. To have determined not to work in order to obtain certain expectations, concessions, etc.: "The unionized workers struck the factory in hopes of obtaining better working conditions."
2. To have hit or to have caused a blow: "Mina accidentally struck another person with the snowball when she tried to throw it at her friend."
3. To have taken one's flag or pennants down, often in the context of a conflict: "The pirates struck their colors when the navy ship overtook them."
4. To cause something, like a match, to start burning by rubbing it against a surface: "Judy struck a match so she could light the candles on the table."