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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Strak(e, Straik(e, Strek(e, Strok(e, n.¹ Also: straak, strack(e, strayk(e, straick(e, streik, streak(e, strokk, strock(e, stroak(e, strook, stark. Pl. also strax. [North. ME strak (Cursor M.), strake (14th c.), otherwise ME and e.m.E. stroc (1297), strok (a1320), strooke (Wyclif), stroke (c1400), stroak (1696), ? OE *strác, corresp. to MLG strêk, Du. streek, MHG, Germ. streich; Strik(e v., Strak(e v.]

1. A stroke or blow with the hand, a weapon or other implement or object; a stab, cut or thrust with a sword, dagger, etc.Markett, talȝeit strakis, blows, delivered in ritual fighting, such as jousting or fencing, and tallied or counted by a score-keeper.Dry strakis, blows which fail to draw blood.(a) 1375 Barb. ii 367.
Thai … Swappyt owt swerdis … And swa fell strakys gave and tuk, That [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. vi 83.
A seruand of the hous … Gafe hym a gret strak on the schek 1456 Hay I 52/31.
Nouthir of the parties had power to stryke a strake for the cruelnes of the tempest 1456 Hay I 155/6, 7.
As gif a man wald geve me a nef strake, and I wald geve again a strake with a suerd or a spere, that passis the termes of the offens 1456 Hay I 269/29.
Or ellis that the maner of the bataill be tane under certane condicioun of tayllid strakis 1456 Hay II 47/19.
His lytill schort suerd, … that quhen he has implyde … his lang suerde … than is it gude at schort strakis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1766 (Bann.).
The nek to stoup, quhen it the strake sall get, Is sone eneuch 1494 Loutfut MS 114b.
To fecht on fut with certane wapinnis talȝeit strakis 1522–3 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 67.
Scho said this strak sal be der boucht 1535 Stewart 52247.
On sleipand men … Without armour for to resist thair strax, With swordis scharp and mony awfull ax 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 53.
[Bothwell] of a theif … was castin downe to the ground, hurt, birsit with dry strakis [etc.] 1600-1610 Melvill 21.
I never get a strak of his [sc. the schoolmaster's] hand, whowbeit I comitted twa lurd faultes 1642 Aberd. B. Rec. III 291.
Giveing him ane bloodie strak thairwith in his thigh, and sindrie blae strakis on his back(b) ?1438 Alex. i 1024.
Of that straik fele affrayit ware c1475 Wall. v 147.
Vpon Fawdoun as he was lukand doune, A suttell straik wpwart him tuk ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 71.
Ȝour blist heid and face wes richt sair pynit and woundit for the veament straikis that ȝe sufferit for my saik 1511 Crim. Trials I i 74.
[Cruelly striking his wife with] bauche straikis 1513 Doug. ii i 72.
A gret speir At … that bysnyng best threw he … and with the straik The boys cavys sowndit 1522 Old Dundee II 268.
They saw John Logy with ane aix strick cruelly Robert behind his back on the head … And when he raise, he wist nocht wha had given him that straik 1535 Stewart 34602.
Baith heid and hals wes hakkit all in schunder, … coist, and all the bonis wnder, War brissit and brokin … All throw the straik than of ane mekle stone 1549 Compl. 26/4.
Cesar, that gat xxii straikis vitht pen knyuis in the capitol 1552 Old Dundee II 364.
[James Richardson,] … being accusit for pickrie, is adjudgit to be punishit with twelve straiks with ane double belt 1570 Leslie 139.
[He] struk Sir James … with ane qhingyear in the wambe, thre sindry straiks to the heft c1575 Balfour Pract. 503. 1588 Burntisland B. Ct. 10 Sept.
Certane bawche straikis … giwine … be the said Thomas with his faldit neiff 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Stingisdint.
Ane dint or straike with ane sting or batton 1596 Dalr. I 316/27.
Strayk 16.. Hist. Kennedy 17.
His neise wes laich be ane straik of ane goiff-ball 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 143/92.
Gif ony heir hes skill of fens, come proue Three markett straikis before my onelie loue 1630 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 468.
With his knee gave him ane dangerous straike on the small of the backe whairwith he almost brake his backe 1662 Highland P. III 28.
[She] strek thrie straiks of her curcheffe upon the kow and … therafter the kow grew wele(c) 1604 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 41.
He hes abusit hir be many extraordinarie formes of dealing, as be geving hir straickis, baith blude and bla 1657 Stitchill Baron Ct. 10.
Straickes 1658 Rothesay B. Rec. 18.
Seing the marks of the straicks on the said Margaret hir face being mankit and blae(d) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke xii 48.
Bot he that knew nocht, and did worthie thingis of straakis [W. woundis, P. strokis] salbe strikin with few(e) 1589 Riddell Tracts 117.
For eschewing of the strack of the gairdis of his said sworde a1600 Gowrie P. 7.
The said Davie [Rizzio] received never a stracke in her majesty's presence(f) 1561 Crim. Trials I i 413.
Dingand and birsand thame with diuerse base strekis 1579–80 Reg. Privy C. III 264.
He wes sumquhat recoverit of his formar hurt ressavit be the strek of the first pistolett 1581 Nugae Scoticae 35.
Al my doubleit uas cuttit in pissis uithe streikis of hailbardis & suordis 1600-1610 Melvill 273.
His corps is … found to haiff that onlie a poinct streak of a rapper sword 1632 Justiciary Cases I 205.
The streik gottin be the said umquhile Thomas his sone with the golf ball(g) 1603 Moysie 100.
Efter the secund streak he cryed for mercie 1640 Aberd. Council Lett. II 231.
He … easit the number of thrie or four score streakes in his halbert(h) a1500 Lanc. 1193.
Vpone this hors is sen, He in the place quhar strokis was hath ben 1631 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 60.
Many a black stroke received innocent Jesus 1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 468.
Let the wyse maister rather by a grave … coutenance … gaine everie one to thair dewtie than by stroks 1641 Anal. Scot. I 153.
Stroak 1689 Siege Castle Edinb. 21.
A catholick centinell gives a stroke with a bagonet to his comrad(i) 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 17.
They wan the close, entered the grit hall … and were repulsed be verie strockis 1558-66 Knox II 357.
The Erle … departed this lyiff without any wound, or yitt appearance of any strock, whairof death might have enseued 1618 Sc. Brigade in Holland I 290.
I confes I gave the fellow who is deid twa strokkis c1620 Boyd Fl. Zion Exc. xxx/1.
Now thee ready make, Even of this cutlace to receive the strock(j) 1643 Acts VI i 22/1.
[He] gave him diuerse stroakes er he was awar over the heid with a tree c1650 Spalding I 268.
Aluaies he layis doun his arme vpone the stok, and the hangman reddie to give the stroak(k) 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 119.
The bourreau with a great baton of iron began at the armes and brook them with tuo strooks, then his knees, then a strook on every thigh(l) 1460 Hay Alex. 13675.
Quhille dungin wele with starkis sare wele beft

b. Fut strak, a kick. 14.. Acts I 376/2.
Be manis law … for a wound abone the aynd v[j] s. … for a fut strak lx penijs for blude drawyne xxv s.

c. A blow from an animal or bird. 1494 Loutfut MS 27b.
[The crow] wilfully persewis the aigle … and sum tymes cummis sa neir quhill scho gettis a strak with his neb 1531 Bell. Boece II 484.
He was menyeit be ane straik of ane hors 1657 Balfour Ann. I 132.
Being with a strocke of [a] horsse quyte leamd

d. pl. Combat, fighting. 1596 Dalr. I 313/18.
Quhen the armie was past ouer, and nathing bot straikis was luiket for, the stryfe and contentioune stayet was hail

e. A surgical incision. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxiii 22.
Vane organis he full clenely carvit, Quhen of his straik [sc. cutting veins to let blood] so mony starvit

f. transf. Of the male organ in sexual intercourse: Thrust, act of penetration. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 234.
Scho suld not stert for his straik a stray breid of erd

g. A blow delivered to, or the impact of a heavy object or missile on, an inanimate object. Also proverb. 1375 Barb. xvii 697.
It [sc. the ‘sow’] that wes the … starkast for till stynt a strak, In-swndir with that dusche he brak ?1438 Alex. i 919.
With speris … thai … straik sic straikis till blasonis Thirlit haistaly thare habirgeonis c1420 Wynt. viii 4746.
The fyrst kast, that it [sc. a siege engine] kest, bot ane, It hyt the towre a mery strak a1500 K. Hart 438.
He rappit at the ȝet but courtaslie Ȝit at the straik the grit dungeoun can din 1513 Doug. viii vii 117.
Ane huge dyn and noys the strake [sc. of a hammer on an anvil] doyth mak 1513 Doug. xi iii 82.
Down weltit ar with mony granand strakis The fyrrys 1531 Bell. Boece I xxxi.
Ane terrible beist … slew thre men … with thre straikis of hir tail a1540 Freiris Berw. 340 (B).
Scho saw him gif the almery sic a straik [etc.] 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 484.
But be he had stricken the secund straik with his awin fute at the ball, he fell on the grene 1622-6 Bisset II 245/30.
It may be that … ane uthir [vessel] hittis aganist the schip … sa that the ane schip in this maner is domaged be this straik 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway 137.
A scruff like mug-mettall, bran-colour'd which took a stroak of the pick-ax to break itproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 811.
The tre fals not at the first straike

h. fig. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 106.
Paciently thou tak thyne auenture This will my son Cupide and so will I He can thé stroke, to me langis the cure c1490 Irland Asl. MS 61/19.
The swerd of pvnicioun and straik of God will cum apone thé 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xi 53.
My loue … with disdainfull dairts Thocht … my hert but mercie wound. Sche the stroak did giwe, Only sche must me reviue 1630 Rutherford Christ & Doves 14.
Many a black stroak got He both of God and man; He was the vine, God and man strake at him with axes 1638 Henderson Serm. 463.
Then we will never strike ane fair straik in our Christian warfare 1638 Henderson Serm. 523.
Satan lends out many lashes and straiks at us 1640 Maidment Balfour Ballads 7.
Cut cleane off, with shame's infamous strock As withered boughes from blooming justice stock 1649 Last and Heavenly Speeches of Viscount Kenmuir 2.
I hope Jesus Christ shal give death the reading stroke 1699 Forrester Bishops Claim i 86.
Our Dr. will, and must needs justle and deal stroaks with Dr. Hammond

2. a. But, without(in) (ony) strake (strakis) (of sword, etc.), without resorting to blows, without fighting. Also fig. 1531 Bell. Boece II 51.
Thus succedit victorie to Ambrose but ony straik 1535 Stewart 26500.
Tha tynt the feild but straik of sword or knyfe 1535 Stewart 54346.
The Inglismen … Trowand but straik that all sould be thair awin 1549 Compl. 87/13.
Quhilk vas ane reddy passage to gar them conqueis our realme vithtout straik or battel 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 29.
He in the secund battell fled but strakis to tyne thame 1571 Cal. Sc. P. III 686.
Strayke 1558-66 Knox I 88.
Stout Oliver was without strack tackin, fleing full manfully a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 12.
The mater was componit without straikis for the factioun of the lordis was mekle stronger nor the queynis 1622-6 Bisset II 188/30.
And put all these [his] dominionis in the soveranitie of thair [onlie sacreit] persones (without straik of sworde) c1650 Spalding I 337.
Now may be sein with what policie both Newcastell and this strong strenth of Dumbartan is takin in, but schot of mvscat or straik of suord c1650 Spalding II 461.
He marches in his sicht and his forces but straik of suord or povss of pik a1686 Turner Mem. 38.
Hertipoole … unworthilie yeelded to him without stroake of suordfig. 15.. Clar. ii 1496.
That knicht … Whom to hir heart withoutin straike was ȝold 1584 Melvill 200.
That yie sould haiff altogidder without streakes yeildit to the adversarie and nocht onlie be word consentit, bot alse be the subscription of your hands c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii 53.
Bynding myself to be ȝour pressoner My mynd also … Into ȝour will dois ȝeld without ane straik

b. At (with) a strake, with a single blow. Also fig. 1375 Barb. xii 65.
Quhen the kyngis men … Saw him … For-outen dout … [Have] slayn ane knycht swa at ane strak 1375 Barb. xii 98.
The Kyng … Bot menyt his hand-ax-schaft, that swa Wes with ane strak brokyn in twa 1375 Barb. xii 341.
The king Slew at a strak … The best knycht of thair cheuelry c1475 Wall. ii 60.
And at a straik the formast has he slayne a1500 Seven S. 474.
For his wyfis word, allake, The grewhound he slewe at a straike c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 664.
[He] sa derflie on thame dang, That … Ay at ane straik he dang ane dounfig. 1562-3 Winȝet II 6/23.
[This tractate is an instrument] of sik strenth that … with ane strake it sal bayth ding a faa [= foe] deid to the ground, and with that also sal help wp the wallis of Jerusalem

c. To come (fall, leap) to (strak, strakis, etc.), to come to blows, start fighting. c1475 Wall. viii 850.
Als all his men did cruelly and weyll, At com to strak 1531 Bell. Boece I 117.
Thay wer out of aind, or evir thay come to ony straikis a1578 Pitsc. I 75/4.
It is nocht the dewtie of walieȝeant campieounis … to deiect thair curage befoir they come to straikis 1596 Dalr. I 163/9.
The Scottis couragious, of a blyth hope, and a mychtie spirit, leipis to straikis 1596 Dalr. I 192/10.
Baith inflamet with ire cam at lenth to straikis 1654 Ellon Par. 117.
He fell in scolding, flyting and cursing with the said James' wyf, and had fallen to strokes if they had not been impeded 1681 Strathallan Geneal. Drummond 142.
Hamilton … and Huntlie … both deserted the feild before they came to strocks

3. fig. a. An action or event, etc. causing misfortune, distress, pain or death; an act of chastisement, retribution, vengeance, etc.The quot. a1589 Maxwall may properly belong in 1 above.(1) 1562-3 Winȝet II 6/29.
The forcie and irrecouerable strake quhilk he [sc. Vincentius Lirinensis] richt michtelie oft doublis aganis al sawaris of discord 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Eclogues i 49.
Obnoxiis adversis rebus (that is subject to straikis) a1589 Maxwall in Paisley Mag. (1828) 384.
The barne that … thinkis throw scyence to wpryis, Moun thoill oft straikes, hounger and cawlde 1633 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 89.
You shall not die in prison; but your strokes are such as were your Husband's, who was wounded in the house of His friends. Strokes are not newings to Him, and neither are they to you 1635 Dickson Wr. 45.
All things work together for the weal of them that love God; and so, the hardest straiks, that seem to cut off, work for their weal 1644 Fife Synod 140.
The straik [sc. loss of men in battle] hath mainlye lighted vpon townes a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 170.
Some remarkable stroak or plague threatned to be inflicted 1667 Dunlop P. III 6.
It will be a sad strock to her family and her relationes 1681 Hay Fleming Six Saints II 43.
The French … with wicked unhappy men in this land, will be your stroke(2) c1490 Irland Asl. MS 61/19.
And thou vse sic dilacon the … straik of God will cum apone thé c1500 Fyve Bestes 278.
Byde nocht the straik of vengeans at ȝour end c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) iv 35.
[Death's] awfull strak may no man fle c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxi 49.
Discretioun said, ‘I knaw his malady, The strok he feillis of melancholie’ 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2507.
To bide the straik of law 1581 Sempill in Sat. P. xliii 22.
Quha may withstand her [sc. Fortune's] straik? 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 104.
Our heart strikes us not before the evill turn be committed; … but the straik of the conscience and feeling of the heart followis immediatly upon the deed 1600-1610 Melvill lx.
Tak away the plag [sc. great pain], for I consume with the straik of thyne hand 1644 Fife Synod 139.
[To appoint] dayes of solemne humiliatione … that the Lord still may aboundantly be intraited to grant wnto ws the sanctified use of His straikes inflicted, as wee would not draw downe new strikes 1652 Moray Synod 116.
The distressed condition of the citye latelie visited by a sore stroak of burneing 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 94.
The trie of Life was given him as a sacrament and signe he sould not lay under the strock of death 1676 Moray Synod 163.
These persons generally regarded litle the stroake of church discipline 1696 Culross II 205.
The heavy strock of scarcity and sickness that the parish are lying under — 1622 Crim. Trials III 510.
[She] ansuerit … albeit the deid-straik war laid on, scho could tak it af agane

b. To have strake, to have authority or influence. 1594 Highland P. I 188.
He replyit that he had a good strack of that man and sould caus him be my good friend 1638 Henderson Serm. 484.
Because Satan, he has a great straike with the rulers and great doctors in the world 1642 Jervise Land of the Lindsays 338.
I know ȝe have a straik of all the parochineris 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose 320.
Usurpers sometimes have demanded an acknowledgment of their authority, from men of greatest note and stroke in the countries they have seized ?1690 Dunlop P. III 68.
By all thous that hath the gretest strok in affears

4. a. The right to coin money. b. A particular issue or imprint of coins. Also attrib. Also fig.a. c1420 Wynt. vii 3508 (C).
Til God and til Sancte Androis he Grantyt the strak [W. stryking, R. strykyn] of the moneib. 1449 Acts II 37/1.
Of the new strak to be maide & the cours therof and of the money that now rynnis 1451 Acts II 40/1.
The pennys at war strikyn be the kingis cunȝeouris … sal haf cours as thai now haf on to the tym of the said new strak 1567 Inverness Rec. I 157.
Acclamand William Ros ane pece gold of fourtie schillingis of King James the Fyft straik 1574 Edinb. Test. III 99b.
Tua tuentie schilling peces of the dukis straik a1578 Pitsc. II 198/4.
Vpone the thrid day of Julij the lordis … tuik all the quenis siluir weschell and struik siluir quhilk straik was the xxx schiling peice 1583 Edinb. Test. XIII 3b.
viij xxx s. peces ilkane of thame of ane vnce wecht of the auld straik 1594 Cal. Sc. P. XI 327.
Their money is of the King of Spaines straik, his armes on the one syde and his face on the other syde 1600 Crim. Trials II 211.
His ansuere was … that they seemed to be forraine strokes of coyne 1620 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 52b.
Ane peice Scottis gold of Quein Marie straik price of the peice vj li.attrib. 1568 Crail B. Ct. 9 Nov.
The jugis decernis and ordanis the said Georgis to delyuer the stayk of syluar and bane to the said Bessy or ellis the pryce thairaf quhilk is xxx d. strak isay syluar and pryce of the bane iiij s.fig. 1600-1610 Melvill 420.
[If the king had not backed them] the said commissionars haid gottin lytle thank, and all thair awin travell at the nixt General Assemblie … as it was, they spak na thing les tham selves, bot that they haid gottin peyment for thair travell of that coyne and streak 1600-1610 Melvill 469.
A grait stepe from a preceise honest minister to a bischope of this new strak

5. a. The striking of the hammer in a clock; the striking of a particular hour. b. The ringing of a handbell. c. The beating of a drum, chiefly, be strake of drum.a. 1436 Acts II 24/1.
That na man in burghe be fundyn in tauernys at wyne aile or beir efter the straik of ix houris and the bell that salbe rongyn 1516 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 164.
That all personis that ar chosin vpoun the counsall compeir ilk Wedinsday and Fryday in the Tolbuith or the straik of ten houris befoir nwne 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) ii 22.
When thumb or hammer of a clock Gives the epilogizing stroakb. 1468 Ayr B. Ct. 108a (28 March).
At the strake of the common bell 1614 Elgin Rec. II 139.
The Sessioun be publict straick of the drum and handbell dimist herc. 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 55.
That thei nychtly wache … fra the strak of the secund strak of the suishe 1582 Bk. Univ. Kirk II 584.
The bailȝies and commountie gatherit be sound of the commoun bell and straik of drum 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV 297.
With ane thousand men of weir convenit together be open proclamation and straik of drum 1614 Elgin Rec. II 139 (see b above). c1615 Chron. Kings 129.
Thay within the Castell be straik of drwme desyritt pairlly

6. (The sound produced by) the plucking, etc. of the strings, etc. of a musical instrument. 1554 Facs. Nat. MSS III xxxvi.
The noyse … of suche instrumentes … (although ther melody diffre muche, from the swete strokes and soundes of king Alexanders Timotheus)

7. (The marking of) a (musical) beat. c1550-c1580 Art of Music 1a.
Misur quhat is it. It is of a certane moving vith alternatie be ane equall straik or an choip distinctlye proporcionat

8. A pull of the oars in a ship. 1513 Doug. v iv 77.
Thai pynglyt arys vptobend and haill With sa strang rowthis apon athir wail, The mychty karvell schuddryt at euery straik

9. A stroak of water, ? a stroke (of a pump) designed to expel water, an instance of expelling water by this means. 1663–9 Livingstone in Sel. Biog. I 155.
We sprung a leck that gave us 700 stroak of water in two pomps in the half-hour glass

10. An expedient or stratagem. 1586 Calderwood IV 522.
Thou … could not wyle a better stroke, than to alledge that the rebooker … of thy vice had spokin against the king 1640 Baillie I 250.
That would have keeped on foot … some of the Irish novations … thought good to eishu … that discreditable stroke

11. a. A line written as part of a letter of the alphabet or of a note in musical notation. b. (Some, etc.) strekes of (one's) pen, a few words; a brief letter or message.a. 1609 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 108/11, 1.
Quhen Ewirt fell to be in the end of ane word he wrait it without ane straik throuche the t 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 169.
Quhair ever thir twa syd turned straykis with this iiii touches sal be the letter that is before and sal be repeatitb. 1639 Baillie I 237.
If some feu strekes of your pen come to my landward cottage onc a thre or four yeir