4 N‑COUNT [usu pl] When you are swimming or rowing, your strokes are the repeated movements that you make with your arms or the oars. □ I turned and swam a few strokes further out to sea.
5 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A swimming stroke is a particular style or method of swimming. □ She spent hours practising the breast stroke.
6 N‑COUNT The strokes of a clock are the sounds that indicate each hour. □ On the stroke of 12, fireworks suddenly exploded into the night.
7 N‑COUNT In sports such as tennis, baseball, cricket, and golf, a stroke is the action of hitting the ball. □ Compton was sending the ball here, there, and everywhere with each stroke.
8 N‑SING A stroke of luck or good fortune is something lucky that happens. □ [+ of ] It didn't rain, which turned out to be a stroke of luck.
9 N‑SING A stroke of genius or inspiration is a very good idea that someone suddenly has. □ [+ of ] At the time, his appointment seemed a stroke of genius.
10 PHRASE If something happens at a stroke or in one stroke , it happens suddenly and completely because of one single action. □ The disease wiped out 40 million rabbits at a stroke. □ How can Britain reduce its prison population in one stroke?
11 PHRASE If someone does not do a stroke of work, they are very lazy and do no work at all. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ I never did a stroke of work at college. SYNONYMS stroke VERB 1
rub: He rubbed his arms and stiff legs.
pet: I petted and smoothed her hair.
pat: Don't you worry,' she said patting me on the knee.
stroll /stroʊ l/ (strolls , strolling , strolled ) VERB If you stroll somewhere, you walk there in a slow, relaxed way. □ [V prep/adv] A young couple stroll past me hand in hand. ● N‑COUNT Stroll is also a noun. □ After dinner, I took a stroll round the city.
stroll|er /stroʊ lə r / (strollers ) N‑COUNT A stroller is a small chair on wheels, in which a baby or small child can sit and be wheeled around. [AM ] in BRIT, use pushchair
strong ◆◆◆ /strɒ ŋ, [AM ] strɔː ŋ/ (stronger /strɒ ŋgə r , [AM ] strɔː ŋgər/, strongest /strɒ ŋg I st, [AM ] strɔː ŋg I st/)
1 ADJ Someone who is strong is healthy with good muscles and can move or carry heavy things, or do hard physical work. □ I'm not strong enough to carry him. □ I feared I wouldn't be able to control such a strong horse.
2 ADJ Someone who is strong is confident and determined, and is not easily influenced or worried by other people. □ He is sharp and manipulative with a strong personality. □ It's up to managers to be strong and do what they believe is right.
3 ADJ Strong objects or materials are not easily broken and can support a lot of weight or resist a lot of strain. □ The vacuum flask has a strong casing, which won't crack or chip. □ Glue the mirror in with a strong adhesive. ● strong|ly ADV [ADV -ed] □ The fence was very strongly built, with very large posts.
4 ADJ A strong wind, current, or other force has a lot of power or speed, and can cause heavy things to move. □ Strong winds and torrential rain combined to make conditions terrible for golfers in the Scottish Open. □ A fairly strong current seemed to be moving the whole boat. ● strong|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The metal is strongly attracted to the surface.
5 ADJ A strong impression or influence has a great effect on someone. □ We're glad if our music makes a strong impression, even if it's a negative one. □ Teenage idols have a strong influence on our children. ● strong|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He is strongly influenced by Spanish painters such as Goya and El Greco.
6 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you have strong opinions on something or express them using strong words, you have extreme or very definite opinions which you are willing to express or defend. □ It was hard to find a jury who did not already hold strong views on the tragedy. □ There has been strong criticism of the military regime. □ The newspaper condemned the campaign in extremely strong language. ● strong|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ Obviously you feel very strongly about this. □ We are strongly opposed to the presence of troops in this region.
7 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone in authority takes strong action, they act firmly and severely. □ The government has said it will take strong action against any further strikes.
8 ADJ If there is a strong case or argument for something, it is supported by a lot of evidence. □ The testimony presented offered a strong case for acquitting her on grounds of self-defense. □ The evidence that such investment promotes growth is strong. ● strong|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj/adv] □ He argues strongly for retention of NATO as a guarantee of peace. □ These are conditions said by doctors to be strongly indicative of heart failure.
9 ADJ If there is a strong possibility or chance that something is true or will happen, it is very likely to be true or to happen. □ There is a strong possibility that the cat ate contaminated pet food.
10 ADJ [ADJ n] Your strong points are your best qualities or talents, or the things you are good at. □ Discretion is not Jeremy's strong point. □ [+ on ] Cynics argue that the E.U. is stronger on rhetoric than on concrete action.
11 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A strong competitor, candidate, or team is good or likely to succeed. □ She was a strong contender for Britain's rowing team.