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Definition 2024

strike_out

strike out

See also: strikeout

English

Verb

strike out ‎(third-person singular simple present strikes out, present participle striking out, simple past and past participle struck out)

(intransitive, often with at) To lash out; to strike or hit at someone or something, particularly something in arm's length of the striker and at or near the level of the striker's head.
- 1885, James Runciman, Grace Balmaign's sweetheart, page 203:
  The gallant old skipper had struck out with his fist and the blow took effect; "spread the chap's nose all ower his fyesce" as he afterwards said ...
(figuratively) To strongly criticize or make a verbal attack, particularly as a response to previous criticism or provocation.
- 1954, Kenneth E. Trombley, The life and times of a happy liberal: a biography of Morris Llewellyn Cooke, page 163:
  ... 1937, before the Maryland Farm Bureau Federation, he struck out at his critics. He said: When the Federal Government first undertook to help farmers get ...
To draw a line through some text such as a printed or written sentence, with the purpose of deleting that text from the rest of the document.
- 1787, James Madison, The Writings of James Madison: 1787. Journal of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, published 1903, page 165:
  Mr. Randolph moved to strike out the words, "each House" and to insert the words, "the House of Representatives" in Sect. 7.
(ergative, baseball, softball) Of a batter, to be retired after three strikes (missed swings, as opposed to any other way of becoming "out"); of a pitcher, to cause this to happen to the batter.

Jones struck out on a nasty slider.

The pitcher struck out Jones with a nasty slider.
(intransitive, colloquial, figuratively) To fail; to be refused a request or to have a proposal not be accepted, in particular a request for a (hopefully romantic) date.
Dave asked the new girl to the dance but he struck out.
To begin to make one's way.
The travellers struck out towards the line of mountains.