English Dictionary

stroke

/stɹəʊk/

noun

An act of striking with a weapon; a blow. / A single movement with a tool; also, an impact of a tool on an object.

He suffered a stroke from the enemy's sword.

意味（1）

An act of striking with a weapon; a blow.

Their mightie ſtrokes their haberieons diſmayld, / And naked made each others manly ſpalles; […]

意味（2）

A single movement with a tool; also, an impact of a tool on an object.

[W]hen a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor, to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a ſtroke with the axe to cut downe the tree, and the head ſlippeth from the helue, and lighteth vpon his neighbour that he die, he ſhall flee vnto one of thoſe cities, and liue: […]

意味（3）

An act, or the sound, of the clapper or hammer of a clock hitting a bell or other striking mechanism; hence, the time when such a strike occurs.

on the stroke of midnight

意味（4）

(ball games) An act of hitting or trying to hit a ball; also, the manner in which this is done.

意味（5）

One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished.

the stroke of a bird’s wing in flying

意味（6）

A beat or throb, as of the heart or pulse.

[I]n true marriage lies / Nor equal, nor unequal: each fulfils / Defect in each, and always thought in thought, / Purpose in purpose, will in will, they grow, / The single pure and perfect animal, / The two-cell'd heart beating, with one full stroke / Life.

意味（7）

(technology) A single movement or thrust of a part (such as a piston) of a machine that moves back and forth; also, the length of this movement.

意味（8）

An act causing hurt or death, especially when seen as divine punishment.

the stroke of death

意味（9）

A damaging occurrence, especially if sudden; a blow, a calamity.

The Abp. [Archbishop] of York [John Dolben] now died of yᵉ small pox, aged 62, a corpulent man. […] I looke on this as a greate stroke to yᵉ poore Church of England, now in this defecting period.

意味（10）

An amount of work; specifically, a large amount of business or work.

a stroke of business

意味（11）

A powerful or sudden effort by which something is done or produced; also, something accomplished by such an effort; an achievement, a feat.

a stroke of genius a master stroke of policy

意味（12）

A movement of a brush in painting, of a chisel in carving, of a pen, pencil, or such implement in drawing or writing, etc., in one direction; hence, a line or mark made on a surface by such an implement.

Among other branches of ſcience, if one can call it ſo, Mr. [John] Evelyn ſtudied Phyſiognomy, and found diſſimulation, boldneſs, cruelty and ambition in every touch and ſtroke of [Isaac] Fuller's picture of Oliver Cromvvell's face, vvhich he ſays, vvas the moſt reſembling portrait of the Protector.

意味（13）

A distinctive expression in a written composition; a touch.

to give some finishing strokes to an essay

意味（14）

(chiefly archaic) Influence; power.

[W]here ſoeuer poſſeſſyons be pryuate, where moneye beareth all the ſtroke, it is hard and almoſte impoſſyble that there the weale publyque maye iuſtelye be gouerned and proſperouſlye floryſhe: […]

意味（15）

(turn-based games) A masterful or effective action.

To enable any other piece to effect the decisive stroke, a greater number of facilities, arising either from the coöperation of partisans, or the obstruction of the adverse king by his own pieces, must conspire in proportion to the assailant's class.

意味（16）

(medicine) The loss of brain function arising when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted.

suffer a stroke

意味（17）

(sciences) An individual discharge of lightning, particularly if causing damage.

A flash of lightning may be made up of several strokes. If they are separated by enough time for the eye to distinguish them, the lightning will appear to flicker.

意味（18）

The effect or result of a striking; affliction or injury; a bruise or wound; soreness.

Moreover the light of the Moone ſhalbe as the light of the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne ſhall be ſeuenfold, as the light of ſeuen dayes, in the day that the Lord bindeth vp the breach of his people, and healeth the ſtroke of their wound.

意味（19）

Chiefly in to have a good stroke: appetite.

[N]either can any man be entertain'd as a Soldier, that has not a greater ſtroke than ordinary at eating: for by this they judge of his ſtrength and conſtitution.

意味（20）

(medicine) A sudden attack of any illness, especially if causing loss of consciousness or movement, or when fatal.

a stroke of apoplexy

意味（21）

(music) A bow or pluck of a string or strings of a stringed instrument; also, the manner in which a musical instrument is played; hence, a melody, a tune.

Or can he desire a nobler or a fuller Argument either for the softest Aires or the loudest Echoes, for the smoothest or briskest strokes of his Pindaric Lyre?