DictionaryRoot: strīcan
Old English
strīcan
stroke, smooth, or rub
Forms
- strican
- strik- — A later form of the base.
- strike — The modern descendant with broader meanings.
Origin
An inherited Germanic movement word with older Indo-European relatives.
Note
A directed stroke could become a forceful blow, but the earlier range was wider.
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verb
strike
To remove something from a written or official record.
Etymology
The verb acquired a sense of canceling by drawing a stroke through writing. Striking an item from a record extends that physical cancellation to formal removal.