stroke
/strouk/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A single complete movement: A stroke is one complete motion, especially of a limb or tool.
- A mark made by a writing or painting tool: A stroke is a single mark or line made by a pen, brush, or similar implement.
- A sudden medical event affecting the brain: A stroke is a serious illness caused by a blocked or burst blood vessel in the brain, leading to a loss of function.
- An act of hitting a ball in sports: In games like golf or tennis, a stroke is a single act of swinging and hitting the ball.
- A single pull of an oar in rowing: A stroke is one complete movement of an oar through the water.
- A sudden, unexpected event or instance: A stroke can refer to a sudden occurrence, often of luck or misfortune.
- A gentle touch with the hand: A stroke is a gentle, caressing movement of the hand.
Verb:
- To move one's hand gently over a surface: To stroke means to move your hand softly over something.
- To hit or propel a ball smoothly in sports: In sports, to stroke the ball is to hit it with a smooth, controlled swing.
- To act as the rower who sets the pace: In rowing, to stroke means to be the rower nearest the stern who sets the rhythm for the crew.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- He painted the wall with broad, even strokes. (He used wide, smooth movements of the brush.)
- She suffered a stroke last year but is recovering well. (She had a serious brain illness.)
- It took him three strokes to get the golf ball into the hole. (He needed three hits with the club.)
- Winning the prize was a lucky stroke. (Winning was a sudden piece of good luck.)
- The cat purred at every stroke of its fur. (The cat enjoyed each gentle touch.)
Verb:
- She likes to stroke her dog's ears. (She gently touches her dog's ears.)
- He stroked the ball perfectly past the defender. (He hit the ball smoothly past the other player.)
- As the team captain, she strokes the boat. (She is the rower who sets the pace for the boat.)
Advanced Usage
- "A stroke of genius": A very clever and original idea.
- His solution to the problem was a stroke of genius.
- "At a stroke" / "In one stroke": With a single immediate action.
- The new law solved several problems at a stroke.
- "To stroke someone's ego": To praise someone excessively to make them feel important.
- He's always stroking the boss's ego.
- "To not do a stroke of work": To do no work at all.
- He sat there all morning and didn't do a stroke of work.
Variants and Related Words
- Stroke play (n): A scoring system in golf where the total number of strokes is counted.
- Stroke order (n): The prescribed sequence for writing the strokes of a character, especially in East Asian scripts.
- Stroking (n/gerund): The action of moving the hand gently over something.
- Stroke victim (n): A person who has suffered a brain stroke.
Synonyms
- Noun: Blow, hit, movement, line, mark, apoplexy (medical), CVA (medical), caress, touch.
- Verb: Caress, fondle, pet, swipe, hit, row.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Stroke out (informal): To suffer a stroke (medical).
- I heard he stroked out last week and is in the hospital.
- Stroke down (archaic): To calm or pacify someone.
- He tried to stroke down the angry customer.
Related Idioms
- "On the stroke of [time]": Exactly at a specified time.
- The meeting will begin on the stroke of nine.
- "Put someone off their stroke": To disturb or distract someone, causing them to perform poorly.
- The loud noise from the crowd put the tennis player off her stroke.
- "A different stroke for different folks" (Proverb, often shortened to "Different strokes"): Different people like different things; everyone has their own preferences.
- I don't understand why he likes that music, but different strokes for different folks.
Noun
- a single complete movement
- any one of the repeated movements of the limbs and body used for locomotion in swimming or rowing
- a mark made on a surface by a pen, pencil, or paintbrush
- she applied the paint in careful strokes
- a punctuation mark (/) used to separate related items of information
- anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause
- winning the lottery was a happy accident
- the pregnancy was a stroke of bad luck
- it was due to an accident or fortuity
- the oarsman nearest the stern of the shell who sets the pace for the rest of the crew
- (golf) the unit of scoring in golf is the act of hitting the ball with a club
- Nicklaus won by three strokes
- a light touch with the hands
- a light touch
- a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain
- the maximum movement available to a pivoted or reciprocating piece by a cam
- (sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
- it took two strokes to get out of the bunker
- a good shot requires good balance and tempo
- he left me an almost impossible shot
Verb
- treat gingerly or carefully
- You have to stroke the boss
- row at a particular rate
- strike a ball with a smooth blow
- touch lightly and repeatedly, as with brushing motions
- He stroked his long beard