26984 words

strike

49 definitions • 88 examples
1
to refuse to continue working because of an argument with an employer about working conditions, pay levels, or job losses:

Examples:

the right to strike Democratization has brought workers the right to strike and join a trade union.
strike for We're striking for better pay and improved safety standards.
2
to cause a person or place to suffer severely from the effects of something very unpleasant that happens suddenly:

Examples:

disaster strikes I have a life insurance policy that will take care of my family if disaster strikes.
The disease has struck the whole community, sometimes wiping out whole families.
earthquake strikes They predict that a large earthquake will strike the west coast before the end of the decade.
3
to hit or attack someone or something forcefully or violently:

Examples:

Her car went out of control and struck an oncoming vehicle.
The police have warned the public that the killer could strike again.
strike someone on something The autopsy revealed that his murderer had struck him on the head with an iron bar.
be struck by lightning Have you ever been struck by lightning?
My golf was terrible today - I just didn't strike the ball well.
4
to kick a football, especially hard so that it travels a long distance :

Examples:

Beckham struck the ball with precision.
5
When a clock strikes, its bells ring to show what the time is:

Examples:

The clock was striking ten as we went into the church.
6
When a particular time strikes, a clock's bells ring to tell people what time it is:

Examples:

Midnight had just struck when I went upstairs to bed.
7
If you strike a match, you cause it to burn by rubbing it against a hard rough surface:

Examples:

She struck a match and lit another cigarette.
strike something on something He bent and struck a match on the sole of his boot.
8
to achieve a sudden success, such as by scoring a goal in football or taking a wicket in cricket :

Examples:

Arsenal struck first, scoring in the twelfth minute.
Johnson struck when he had Atapattu caught by Read.
9
to remove something officially from a document:

Examples:

strike something from something Please strike my name from your mailing list immediately.
10

Examples:

strike oil The first person to strike oil in the US was Edwin Laurentine Drake.
11
to reach or make an agreement:

Examples:

strike a deal Do you think the government should try to strike a deal with the terrorists?
12
to cause someone to have a feeling or idea about something:

Examples:

strike someone as something Doesn't it strike you as odd that he never talks about his family?
be struck by I was immediately struck by the similarities between the two murders.
So how does my proposition strike you? (= What do you think of it?)
[ + (that) ] It strikes me (that) you'd be better off working for someone else.
13
If a thought or idea strikes you, you suddenly think of it:

Examples:

[ + that ] It's just struck me that I still owe you for the concert tickets.
Sitting at her desk, she was struck by the thought that there had to be something more to life.
14
to move your body into a particular position:

Examples:

She may be 67, but she can still strike a sexy pose.
15
to make a metal disc-shaped object such as a coin with a machine that quickly presses a picture into a piece of metal:

Examples:

strike a coin When was the first pound coin struck?
A special medal has been struck to celebrate the end of the war.
16
to take down a tent or a number of tents:

Examples:

strike a tent When the troops had exhausted food and firewood, they struck their tents and moved on.
strike camp We struck camp next day and set off down the mountain.
17
a period of time when workers refuse to work because of an argument with an employer about working conditions, pay levels, or job losses:

Examples:

After last year's long and bitter strike, few people want more industrial action.
call a strike They had to play three games with replacement players after the NFL Players Association called a strike.
call for a strike Some miners were calling for a nationwide strike.
lightning strike They have voted to stage lightning (= sudden and short) strikes in pursuit of their demands.
stage a one-day strike We've voted to stage a series of one-day strikes.
strike action Union leaders threatened strike action over the changes.
strike ballot The result of the strike ballot will be known tomorrow morning.
18
taking part in a strike:

Examples:

The city's bus drivers have been on strike for three weeks.
19
to start to strike:

Examples:

All 2,500 employees went on strike in protest at the decision to close the factory.
21
a hard kick of a football, especially one that makes it travel a long distance:

Examples:

Garner scored with a 30 -yard strike in the 89th minute.
22

Examples:

air strike The United Nations has authorized the use of air strikes.
military strike against The violence is unlikely to stop without military strikes against terrorist bases.
nuclear strike Would you support a nuclear strike to bring an end to a war?
launch a pre-emptive strike We have no intention of launching a pre-emptive strike, but we will retaliate if provoked.
23
In cricket, the batter who is on strike is the one who the ball is being bowled (= thrown) to:

Examples:

He takes the single to put Edwards back on strike.
24

Examples:

gold strike The population and settlement of Colorado expanded after the gold strike of 1858.
25
a sudden success, such as a a goal in football or a wicket in cricket:

Examples:

Thanks to a couple of late strikes from Charlie, we won the game 3-2.
26
in bowling, a first roll of the ball that knocks down all the pins:

Examples:

He'd bowled six consecutive strikes.
She bowled poorly, with just one strike and a 130 score.
27
(in baseball) a ball that has been thrown by the pitcher and not been hit successfully when it should have been:

Examples:

A batter is out after three strikes.
Only nine of his 22 pitches were strikes.
28

Examples:

California's "three strikes and you're out" bill means that from now on criminals found guilty of three crimes are jailed for life.
strike against One strike against him as a candidate is his perceived lack of charisma.
29
to hit or physically attack someone or something:

Examples:

[ T ] A car struck the man trying to cross a major highway.
[ T ] She was struck in the back of the head by a ball that was thrown across the field.
30
If you strike a match, you cause it to burn by rubbing it against a rough surface.
31
to bring sudden harm, damage, or injury to a person or thing:

Examples:

[ T ] It was a disease that struck mainly young people.
[ I ] Many public health officials fear that a similar flu virus will one day strike again.
[ T ] He was stricken with polio at the age of 13 and lost the use of his legs.
32
to refuse to continue working because workers or their labor union (= employees’ organization) cannot come to an agreement with an employer over pay or other conditions of the job:

Examples:

[ I ] Flight attendants are threatening to strike to get more flexible schedules.
33
to cause someone to have a feeling or idea about something:

Examples:

From what you’ve said, it strikes me that you would be better off working for someone else.
I was struck by her sincerity.
34
To strike also means to suddenly cause someone to think of something:

Examples:

I was immediately struck by the similarities in their appearance.
35
to discover something such as oil, gas, gold, etc., underground at a particular place:

Examples:

to strike gold/oil
36
to agree to or achieve a solution:

Examples:

My children and I have struck a deal – they can play any kind of music they want as long as I don’t hear it.
37
If you strike a balance between two things, you try to give an equal amount of attention or importance to each:

Examples:

It’s a question of striking the right balance between quality and productivity.
38
(esp. of a clock) to make a sound or a series of sounds that show the time:

Examples:

[ T ] The clock struck midnight.
40
a period of time when workers refuse to continue working because they cannot come to an agreement with an employer:

Examples:

[ U ] If the teachers go on strike again and close the schools down, I don’t know what I’ll do with the kids.
41
a period of time when a group of workers refuse to work because they are not satisfied with their pay, working conditions, etc.:

Examples:

In a statement, the union said there were no plans for a strike.
a postal/rail workers'/miners' strike
a 24-hour/2-day, etc. strike
call for/call off/avoid a strike Managers sought to avoid a strike by cabin crew over sick leave rules.
a strike by sb Fresh moves to stop more strikes by council workers will be made this week.
a strike against sth 20% of the workforce has joined a strike against the privatization plans announced yesterday.
a strike begins/ends/goes ahead The strike will begin at 6 a.m. Oct. 31 and end 24 hours later.
42
if a group of workers are on strike, they refuse to work because they are not satisfied with their pay, working conditions, etc.:

Examples:

Refuse collectors are on strike and rubbish is now piling up across the region.
43
if a group of workers go on strike, they stop working because they are not satisfied with their pay, working conditions, etc.:

Examples:

Around 160 staff are due to go on strike next week in a row over pay.
44
if a trade union or official organization calls, takes, or leads a group of workers out on strike, it announces that they are stopping working because they are not satisfied with their pay, working conditions, etc.:

Examples:

The Police Federation has refused to take its members out on strike.
45
if a group of workers strike, they refuse to work because they are not satisfied with their pay, working conditions, etc.:

Examples:

Under current legislation, police and prison officers are not allowed to strike.
46
to agree to do business with another person or company:

Examples:

Takeover money has been deposited in a bank account, in expectation of striking a deal before tomorrow.
47
to find a way to satisfy two opposing demands or needs:

Examples:

48
to do something that makes you very successful or rich, especially in a way that is unexpected:

Examples:

After a slow start, the carmaker finally struck gold in the US.
49
to find oil or gold under the surface of the earth:

Examples:

The company announced it had struck oil at one of its wells in Siberia.

Navigation