stricken

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Struck by something.

   The town was stricken by a devastating earthquake that left many buildings in ruins.

2. 2
   adj

   Disabled or incapacitated by something.

   Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.

3. 3
   verb

   past participle of strike

   Nothing could be more business-like than the construction of the stout dams, and nothing more gently rural than the limpid lakes, with the grand old forest trees marshalled round their margins like a veteran army that had marched down to drink, only to be stricken motionless at the water’s edge.

4. 4
   adj

   (used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

5. 5
   adj

   grievously affected especially by disease

6. 6
   adj

   put out of action (by illness)

Etymology

From Middle English striken, ystriken, from Old English stricen, ġestricen, from Proto-West Germanic *strikan, from Proto-Germanic *strikanaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic *strīkaną (“to strike”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian strieken, Dutch gestreken, German Low German streken, German gestrichen.