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Meaning & use

stroke

noun, verb·Academic

Last updated

UK/strəʊk/
US/stroʊk/

Meanings

  1. nouncountablemedical

    A sudden brain emergency caused by blocked or bursting blood vessels, which can cause weakness or loss of speech.

    Grammar: Often have or suffer a stroke.

    Patterns

    • have a stroke
    • suffer a stroke

    Her grandfather had a stroke last winter.

    A stroke can affect speech and movement.

    Quick treatment can limit the damage of a stroke.

  2. nouncountablesport

    One movement of the arms in swimming or of an oar in rowing.

    Grammar: Also a style of swimming: the breaststroke.

    Patterns

    • a stroke of an oar

    He swam with long, even strokes.

    The rower pulled a hard stroke.

    Each stroke pushed the boat forward.

  3. nouncountable

    A single movement of a pen, brush, or tool, or a hit in a game like golf or tennis.

    Grammar: A brush stroke or a stroke of the pen.

    Patterns

    • a stroke of something

    The painter added one last stroke of blue.

    She won the match by a single stroke.

    With one stroke of the pen, he signed the law.

  4. verbtransitive

    To move your hand gently over something, often to comfort it.

    Grammar: Takes an object: stroke the cat.

    Patterns

    • stroke something

    She stroked the dog's head.

    He stroked his beard while thinking.

    The mother stroked her baby's hair.

  5. nouncountable

    A sudden piece of luck or a clever act, as in a stroke of luck.

    Grammar: Used with of: a stroke of genius.

    Patterns

    • a stroke of luck
    • a stroke of genius

    Finding the key was a stroke of luck.

    Hiring her was a stroke of genius.

    It was a master stroke of planning.

Word forms

pluralstrokes
third person singularstrokes
past tensestroked
-ing formstroking

Common combinations

suffer a stroke
He suffered a stroke at seventy.
stroke of luck
It was a stroke of luck that she was home.
brush stroke
Every brush stroke was careful.
stroke of genius
The solution was a stroke of genius.
stroke a cat
She stroked the cat until it purred.
at a stroke
At a stroke, the rule was gone.

Synonyms and how they differ

pat
Pat is a quick light tap, while stroke is a longer, smooth movement.
caress
Caress is more tender and romantic than stroke.
cerebrovascular accident
This is the formal medical name for a stroke.
blow
Blow is a hit, but stroke in sports often means a controlled shot.

Word family

backstroke noun
a swimming style on the back
breaststroke noun
a swimming style on the front
keystroke noun
a single press of a key
heatstroke noun
illness from overheating

Commonly confused: stroke or stoke?

stroke vs stoke

Stoke means to add fuel to a fire, or to increase feelings, and is different from stroke.

Practice

Finding a parking space on a busy Saturday was a real ___ of luck.

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