Strike
/straɪk/noun
To hit forcefully; to make a sudden attack or impact, or to cease work in protest.
Did you know?English strike is historically linked to old Germanic words meaning to stroke, rub, or hit, showing how a word for touch and motion hardened into violence and force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*streig-
“to stroke, rub, press”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*strīkaną
“to stroke, rub, pass over”
Old English
OE
strīcan
“to stroke, glide, pass over”
Middle English
ME
striken
“to stroke, rub, hit, or move swiftly”
Modern English
English
strike
“to hit forcefully, attack, or stop work in protest”