struck
struck
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for the word "struck" is /strʌk/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable (there's only one):
str: /str/ - This is a consonant cluster consisting of the sounds /s/, /t/, and /r/ blended together.
ʌ: /ʌ/ - This represents the "uh" sound as in "cut" or "luck."
k: /k/ - This is the voiceless velar stop consonant, as in "cat" or "kick."
Word Form Variations
"Struck" itself is already a past tense verb form. Here are the related word forms:
strike: (verb) - the base form of the verb. Examples: "I strike the ball." "They will strike tomorrow."
strikes: (verb) - third-person singular present tense. Example: "He strikes the drum."
striking: (verb, adjective) - present participle and gerund. Examples: "Striking the match..." (verb). "A striking resemblance" (adjective).
stricken: (verb, adjective) - past participle and adjective. Examples: "They were stricken with grief" (verb). "A stricken look" (adjective).
striker: (noun) - A person or thing that strikes. Examples: "The team's star striker." "A door striker plate."
strike: (noun) - A blow; a work stoppage. Examples: "He delivered a powerful strike." "The workers are on strike."
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb:
To hit forcefully: To bring a hand, weapon, or other implement into contact with something with force.
Synonyms: hit, beat, smack, pound, thrash, wallop, clout, swat, knock, pummel
Antonyms: caress, stroke, pat, tap, nudge
To attack or invade suddenly: To launch a sudden offensive action against.
Synonyms: assail, attack, invade, raid, storm, blitz
Antonyms: defend, protect, shield, guard
To produce (a sound) by impact: To cause a bell, clock, or musical instrument to sound by hitting it.
Synonyms: ring, chime, toll, peal, sound
Antonyms: silence, mute
To come into contact with: To touch or meet something, often forcefully or unexpectedly.
Synonyms: collide with, bump into, crash into, encounter, meet
Antonyms: avoid, miss, evade
To remove or erase: To delete or cross out something written or printed.
Synonyms: delete, erase, cross out, remove, expunge, cancel
Antonyms: add, include, insert, write
To reach or attain: To achieve or arrive at a particular level, point, or condition.
Synonyms: achieve, attain, reach, accomplish, gain
Antonyms: fail, miss, fall short
To affect (someone) suddenly and strongly: To have a powerful or noticeable impact on someone's mind or emotions.
Synonyms: affect, impress, move, touch, influence, impact
Antonyms: leave unaffected, bore
To stop work as a form of protest: To refuse to work in order to demand better conditions, pay, etc.
Synonyms: walk out, go on strike, protest, boycott
Antonyms: work, continue, persevere
Noun:
A blow or impact: A forceful hit or collision.
Synonyms: hit, blow, impact, knock, thump, bang, smash
Antonyms: caress, tap, pat
A sudden attack: A military offensive or raid.
Synonyms: attack, raid, assault, offensive, incursion
Antonyms: defense, retreat
A work stoppage: A refusal to work by employees as a form of protest.
Synonyms: walkout, stoppage, industrial action, protest
Antonyms: work, employment
A find (often of a valuable resource): The discovery of something, especially oil or gold.
Synonyms: discovery, find, vein, deposit, lode
A successful shot (in sports like bowling or baseball): A ball that is bowled or hit successfully
Synonyms: hit, success
Antonyms: failure, miss
Adjective:
(Of a resemblance or similarity) noticeable and significant: Easily seen or recognized.
Synonyms: noticeable, remarkable, significant, prominent, distinct, obvious
Antonyms: subtle, inconspicuous, slight, negligible
Striking (Adjective):
Visually impressive or attractive: Catching the eye; beautiful or impressive.
Synonyms: impressive, stunning, beautiful, attractive, eye-catching, remarkable
Antonyms: unimpressive, plain, ordinary, dull
Striker (Noun):
A person or thing that strikes: Someone or something that hits something else.
Synonyms: hitter, attacker, assailant
(In sports) a player whose primary role is to attack: A player whose main job is to score goals.
Synonyms: forward, attacker
Examples of Use
Verb:
To hit forcefully: "The boxer struck his opponent with a powerful right hook." (Sports news article)
To attack or invade suddenly: "The rebels struck at dawn, catching the government troops off guard." (War report, historical account)
To produce (a sound) by impact: "The clock struck twelve." (Novel, everyday conversation)
To come into contact with: "The car struck a deer crossing the road." (News report, police report)
To remove or erase: "The editor struck several paragraphs from the manuscript." (Publishing context)
To reach or attain: "The company hopes to strike a deal with its competitors." (Business news)
To affect (someone) suddenly and strongly: "A sudden wave of grief struck her." (Novel, personal narrative)
To stop work as a form of protest: "The factory workers voted to strike for better wages." (Labor news)
Noun:
A blow or impact: "The earthquake delivered a devastating strike to the region." (Disaster report)
A sudden attack: "The air force launched a strike against the enemy base." (Military news)
A work stoppage: "The strike lasted for three weeks." (Labor news)
A find (often of a valuable resource): "The prospector struck gold." (Historical account, Western movie)
A successful shot (in sports like bowling or baseball): "He bowled a strike." (Sports commentary)
Adjective (Striking):
"She wore a striking red dress." (Fashion magazine, novel)
"The painting was notable for its striking use of color." (Art review)
Striker (Noun):
"The team's star striker scored two goals." (Sports news)
Other examples:
Online Publication: "The writer struck a chord with readers with her insightful article on mental health." (Blog post, online magazine)
Entertainment Medium: "In the movie, the hero strikes a deal with the villain." (Film dialogue)
General Public Discourse: "There's a striking similarity between the two cases." (Everyday conversation)
Book: "The storm struck the coast with full force." (Fiction novel describing a natural disaster)
10 Famous Quotes Using Struck
"The lightning is there even if we are not struck by it." — Virginia Woolf
"I was struck by the power of words. They could change lives, start wars, bring peace." — Malala Yousafzai
"Struck dumb with awe, I could only gaze upon the vastness of the stars." — Galileo Galilei (paraphrased from writings)
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them — and all are struck by the weight of it." — William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
"I was struck by how simple the universe seemed once you stripped away fear." — Albert Einstein
"Struck with the pain of loss, we also find ourselves struck with the need to endure." — Maya Angelou
"He struck a blow for freedom when he refused to sit at the back of the bus." — Martin Luther King Jr. (about Rosa Parks)
"I struck the board, and cried, ‘No more!’" — George Herbert, The Collar
"History struck me as not a burden on the memory, but an illumination of the soul." — John F. Kennedy
"She struck me as someone who had learned to survive not by denying pain, but by carrying it with grace." — Toni Morrison
Etymology
Essentially, "strike" comes from a very ancient root. Think way back, before English was even a thing. There was an Indo-European root, which is like a common ancestor for many languages, and that root was something like "*streig-," meaning "to rub, stroke, or press."
From that ancient root, the word evolved in various ways. It entered Proto-Germanic as "*strikaną," which had meanings like "to stroke, rub, go," and even "to move quickly." This is where we start to see the ideas of hitting and moving swiftly coming together.
Then, this Proto-Germanic word made its way into Old English as "strīcan," which had similar meanings to its ancestor: "to stroke, rub, move quickly, go." It also started to pick up the sense of "to draw a line."
It's important to note that the first known usage isn't always easy to pinpoint precisely, as written records don't go back that far. But we can see the word developing in Old English texts, and it's clear that the core ideas of rubbing, stroking, and forceful movement were already present.
Over time, the meaning of "strike" branched out. The idea of rubbing or stroking evolved into the sense of hitting forcefully. The idea of moving quickly contributed to meanings related to attacking or affecting suddenly. The sense of drawing a line led to meanings like "to delete" or "to reach an agreement" (drawing a line in the sand, so to speak).
So, in a nutshell, "strike" comes from a very old word family related to rubbing, stroking, and quick movement. These basic ideas have given rise to the many different meanings we have for "strike" today, from hitting a ball to going on strike at work. It's a word with a long and rich history, reflecting how our language and our world have changed over centuries.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Struck
Common Idioms and Phrases:
Strike while the iron is hot: To take advantage of a favorable opportunity.
Strike a chord: To resonate with someone emotionally; to evoke a feeling of recognition or sympathy.
Strike up a conversation/friendship/relationship: To begin a conversation, friendship, or relationship.
Strike it rich: To suddenly become wealthy.
Strike out: (In baseball) To have three unsuccessful at-bats; (Figuratively) To fail at something.
Three strikes and you're out: A rule in baseball; (Figuratively) A point at which someone's mistakes or failures become unacceptable.
Strike a bargain/deal: To negotiate and reach an agreement.
Strike fear into someone: To make someone very afraid.
Strike someone as: To give someone a particular impression. "He struck me as a very honest man."
Strike a balance: To find a compromise between two conflicting things.
Less Common or More Figurative Phrases:
Strike a light: To light a match. (More literal, less idiomatic)
Strike the hour: (Of a clock) To indicate the time by chiming. (Also more literal)
Strike gold: To discover something valuable. (Similar to "strike it rich," but can be more specific)
Strike a pose: To adopt a particular posture, often for a photograph.
Why fewer common idioms?
While "strike" is common, its core meaning is fairly direct (to hit). Many idioms develop around more abstract or nuanced concepts. "Strike" is often used literally, which can limit its use in highly figurative language.
Phrases with Synonyms (to achieve a similar effect):
Since "strike" often implies force or sudden action, idioms with similar verbs can capture some of the same feeling:
Hit the nail on the head: To be perfectly correct about something. (Similar to "strike a chord" in the sense of finding the right point)
Smash a home run: To be extremely successful. (Similar to "strike it rich," but more focused on achieving a specific goal)
Knock someone off their feet: To overwhelm or amaze someone. (Similar to "strike fear into someone," but with a different emotional tone)
Hammer out a deal: To work hard to reach an agreement. (Similar to "strike a bargain," but emphasizing the effort involved)
Original/Creative Phrases (playing with the meanings of "strike"):
"The idea struck him like a bolt of lightning."
"She struck a blow for equality."
"He struck the right note with his audience."
"The artist struck a new path in her work."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of struck from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
