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Strike (?), v. t. [imp. Struck (?); p. p. Struck, Stricken (&?;)
(Stroock (&?;), Strucken (&?;), Obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. Striking. Struck
is more commonly used in the p. p. than stricken.] [OE. striken to
strike, proceed, flow, AS. strcan to go, proceed, akin to D. strijken
to rub, stroke, strike, to move, go, G. streichen, OHG. strhhan, L.
stringere to touch lightly, to graze, to strip off (but perhaps not to
L. stringere in sense to draw tight), striga a row, a furrow. Cf.
Streak, Stroke.] 1. 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.
He at Philippi kept His sword e'en like a dancer; while I struck
The lean and wrinkled Cassius.
Shak.
2. To come in collision with; to strike against; as, a bullet struck
him; the wave struck the boat amidships; the ship struck a reef.
3. To give, as a blow; to impel, as with a blow; to give a force to; to
dash; to cast.
They shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two sideposts.
Ex. xii. 7.
Who would be free, themselves must strike the blow.
Byron.
4. To stamp or impress with a stroke; to coin; as, to strike coin from
metal: to strike dollars at the mint.
5. To thrust in; to cause to enter or penetrate; to set in the earth;
as, a tree strikes its roots deep.