STRIKE OUT

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does strike out mean? 

• STRIKE OUT (verb)
  The verb STRIKE OUT has 6 senses:

1. remove from a list

2. put out or be put out by a strikeout

3. be unsuccessful in an endeavor

4. make a motion as with one's fist or foot towards an object or away from one's body

5. cause to get out

6. set out on a course of action

  Familiarity information: STRIKE OUT used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STRIKE OUT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Remove from a list

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

cross off; cross out; mark; strike off; strike out

Context example:

Cross the name of the dead person off the list

Hypernyms (to "strike out" is one way to...):

take away; take out (take out or remove)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put out or be put out by a strikeout

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

Oral struck out three batters to close the inning

Hypernyms (to "strike out" is one way to...):

fail; neglect (fail to do something; leave something undone)

Domain category:

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strike out"):

fan (strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher))

whiff (strike out by swinging and missing the pitch charged as the third)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be unsuccessful in an endeavor

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

The candidate struck out with his health care plan

Hypernyms (to "strike out" is one way to...):

fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make a motion as with one's fist or foot towards an object or away from one's body

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "strike out" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strike out"):

kick (thrash about or strike out with the feet)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 5

Meaning:

Cause to get out

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

retire; strike out

Context example:

the runner was put out at third base

Cause:

ease up; give; give way; move over; yield (move in order to make room for someone for something)

Domain category:

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

strikeout (an out resulting from the batter getting three strikes)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Set out on a course of action

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

He struck out on his own

Hypernyms (to "strike out" is one way to...):

begin; commence; get; get down; set about; set out; start; start out (take the first step or steps in carrying out an action)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

 Context examples 

Sometimes he was all but submerged, swimming through oblivion with a faltering stroke; and again, by some strange alchemy of soul, he would find another shred of will and strike out more strongly.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

This volume would have been at least twice as large, if I had not made bold to strike out innumerable passages relating to the winds and tides, as well as to the variations and bearings in the several voyages, together with the minute descriptions of the management of the ship in storms, in the style of sailors; likewise the account of longitudes and latitudes; wherein I have reason to apprehend, that Mr. Gulliver may be a little dissatisfied.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

His knowledge and her ignorance of the subject, his rapidity of expression, and her diffidence of herself put that out of her power; she could strike out nothing new in commendation, but she readily echoed whatever he chose to assert, and it was finally settled between them without any difficulty that his equipage was altogether the most complete of its kind in England, his carriage the neatest, his horse the best goer, and himself the best coachman.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)