(a) To deliver a blow; strike or slash (with a sword); also, fight, attack; ~ togeder (togederes), smite each other, fight; of heaven and earth: crash or clash together; wel striking, of a missile: that strikes or is capable of striking violently; (b) ~ at (til, to), to hit (sb. with stones); deal a blow to (sb.) with a weapon; make or aim a thrust at (sb.) with a spear or sword; strike (sth.) with a sword; (c) ~ on (upon), to beat (sb.), smite; smite (a stone); strike on (a helmet) with a sword; also, of a blacksmith: hammer (iron); (d) ~ ayen, fig. of Christ: to fight against (vainglory), resist.

(a) To give a blow to (sb., the head, an animal); strike (sb. on the hand, cheek, etc.); hit (sth.); ?hit or pull (the nose with tongs); also, of a horse: kick (sb. on the leg); (b) to strike (a blow); also fig.; also, fight (a battle); (c) to kill (sb.); ~ stark ded, ~ to deth (the erthe).

(a) To knock (sb.) down (to the ground or from his horse) by a blow; ~ doun, knock (sb. or sth., an animal) down by smiting, fell; also, lay low (an enemy) in battle [quot. c1450(?a1400), 1st]; ben striken to ground, be defeated [quot. c1450(?a1400), 2nd]; ben striken doun to the erthe, be knocked down to the ground (by thunder, wind, etc.); (b) of God: to cause the downfall of (a people), bring down to defeat; (c) ~ oute, to knock out (an eye, a tooth, etc.); ben striken oute of, of brains: be knocked out from (the head).

(a) To pierce (sb.) with a spear, sword, etc., stab; shoot (an animal) with an arrow; ~ to (unto) the herte, ~ thurgh the hed, etc.; ~ in, pierce (sb.); also, penetrate (one's heart or breast); -- used fig.; ~ thurgh (thurgh-oute), transfix (sb.); (b) to spur (a horse); prick (a horse or mule with spurs); (c) of a bird: to hit an opponent (with the edge of the bill); of a falcon: attack (a bird) with talon or beak; (d) to hook (a fish) by a quick pull or jerk on the line.

(a) To cut (sth. into pieces); hack off (ornamental gems from a helmet); cut or sever (a vein); ~ awei, cut off (someone's ear); cut away (the skin from a fowl's neck); ~ insonder, cut (sb. or sth.) into pieces; ~ up, cut up (sth.); (b) ~ of, to cut off (someone's head or ear, the head of a fowl or an animal, a bodily part, part of a growth, etc.), sever; also in asseveration [last quot.]; also, sever (someone's neck); (c) ben striken, to be divided or apportioned.

(a) To inflict (a wound) on (sb.); ben striken, be wounded or physically afflicted; be afflicted (with an illness or a sore); ppl. striken, of grain: blighted (with mildew); (b) to affect (sb.) emotionally; ~ in swoun, cause (sb.) to fall into a swoon; ben striken, be troubled or tormented (with censure, fear, etc.); also, be smitten (with an emotion).

(a) To strike (coins); ben striken, of metal works: be stamped in a decorative pattern; (b) to produce (sparks from flint); make (fire) by striking flint; (c) ~ in peces, ?to be smashed to pieces; ~ to poudre, smash (sth.) to powder; (d) to beat (a drum); ~ up, ?begin to play a musical instrument; ?pluck a harp; (e) of a clock: to sound (the hour); of a canonical hour: be sounded; ben striken, of an hour of the day: be sounded.

(a) To thrust (sth. into the ground), stick; drive (a nail into the foot); -- also without obj. [last quot.]; ~ on, drive a nail; ~ a stroke, make a thrust with a sword; of a bird: make a jab with its bill; (b) to fasten (an inscription) to something, perh. with a nail; (c) ?to plunge or rinse (sth. in water).

(a) Naut. To lower the sail(s; lower (the sail, reef, or mast); ~ doun; (b) ~ up, to raise (curtains), draw up.

(a) To stroke (one's beard or hair, an animal's body); rub or smear (sb. or one's eyes with something); also, brush over (a wound with a medicated applicator); ~ on, pull at (one's beard), stroke; (b) to smooth out (gloves, joined hose) [last quot. may belong to 8.(b)]; also, ?smooth out garments [1st quot.]; (c) to spread (garnish or seasoning) on prepared food; spread (a medicinal preparation on a cloth); ben striked, of a street: be strewn (with flowers); (d) to level (a bushel) even with the rim; ~ of (togeder), level (grain) even with the rim of the measuring vessel; ppl. striken, of grain or the vessel containing it: leveled by the strickle; even striken, measured exactly; (e) clene striken, of a dirt floor: ?smoothed, raked level.

(a) To shave (one's beard), make (one's chin) smooth by shaving; also, shave a person [2nd quot.]; (b) to scrape (sth. from a surface), skim; also, drink up (wine); (c) to remove (someone's name from a document, book, etc.) with a line; ben striken out, be excluded or dismissed (from an order or a group); ppl. striken, of a name or number: deleted, crossed out; (d) striken oute, of tallies: ?notched or marked (against sb. for a payment due).

(a) To go, make one's way, proceed; step or fall (into a place); also, enter the kingdom of God [quot. c1400(?c1380)]; ~ forth, go on; set off; come forward [quot. c1400(c1378)]; ~ in, enter an area or a place; ~ on (oute of) strai, swerve, turn aside; ~ to, reach for (sth.); ben striken, be on one's way; (b) to go quickly, hasten, dart, leap; charge (into combat or fighting); rush or run (toward sb.); ~ astrai, run away; ~ oute, dash out; (c) comen ~ (striking), to come running or walking; (d) ben striken in age (elde, grete age), ben striken on age, to be advanced in years, be aged; (e) of a stream, water: to flow; of oil: run (out of sth.); of woman's milk: flow (from the breast); ~ adoun (doun), of blood or tears: run down, stream down; streak down (from someone's body or a bodily part); (f) of scent, aroma, stench, etc.: to spread, be diffused; of sound, the voice: be carried; come (in someone's ear); ~ oute, of sparks: fly, burst out; ~ up, of missiles: shoot up; (g) fig. ~ in-to, of speech: to move (from truth) to (falsehood); of feeling or emotion: enter (someone's thought); ~ in-to a studie, of a person: fall into a study, muse.

In misc. senses: (a) ?to reach or conclude (an agreement); (b) ~ treuth, to make (one's) promise (to sb.); also, make a pledge; (c) to stretch (sth.), extend; -- used fig.; also, extend (one's love to Christ), give [1st quot.]; ?explain (sth.), lay out, unfold [quot. a1425]; ~ oute; (d) ~ flatte, ?to refuse or reject completely a proposal or suggestion; (e) striken of, of air: suffused with (sunbeams); striken with, illuminated with (the brightness of sunlight).

In surnames.