stroke

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   (golf) the unit of scoring in golf is the act of hitting the ball with a club

   Nicklaus won by three strokes

2. 2
   verb

   treat gingerly or carefully

   You have to stroke the boss

3. 3
   verb

   touch lightly and repeatedly, as with brushing motions

   I stroked my cat's fur.

4. 4
   noun

   the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand

   I landed the ball on the green in one stroke.

5. 5
   noun

   a mark made on a surface by a pen, pencil, or paintbrush

   I applied the paint in careful strokes.

6. 6
   noun

   An act of hitting; a blow, a hit.

   a stroke on the chin

7. 7
   noun

   A movement similar to that of hitting.

   the stroke of a bird’s wing in flying

8. 8
   noun

   An act causing hurt or death, especially when seen as divine punishment.

   the stroke of death

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English stroken, straken (“to caress, fondle, pat, rub, smooth, stroke; to pass something over (someone or something); to brush or rub against;”) [and other forms], from Old English strācian (“to stroke”), from Proto-West Germanic *straikōn (“to caress, stroke”), from *straik (“a line, stroke; a dash”) (see further at etymology 1) + *-ōn (suffix forming verbs from nouns). The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * German streicheln (“to stroke, fondle”) * German Low German straken, strieken, strakeln, striekeln (“to stroke; caress; fondle”) * Middle Low Germa…