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The sound of, or as of, repeated strokes on a metallic body, as a bell; a repeated and monotonous sound.

expression; -- jocosely so called from the analogy of the sound of a bell induced by the stroke of the clapper.

A blow; a stroke. [Obs.] "Mortal dint." Milton. "Like thunder's dint." Fairfax.

wer of charms or spells; to free from fascination or delusion. Haste to thy work; a noble stroke or two Ends all the charms, and disenchants the grove. Dryden.

g, indicating, or attended with, distress; as, a distressful situation. "Some distressful stroke." Shak. "Distressful cries." Pope. -- Dis*tress"ful*ly, adv.

steps or operations by which steam is supplied to and withdrawn from the cylinder at each stroke of the piston; viz., admission, suppression or cutting off, release or exhaust, and compression of exhaust steam prior to the next admission. Geographical distribution, the natural arrangements of animals and plants in part…

Downward; going down; sloping; as, a down stroke; a down grade; a down train on a railway. Down draught, a downward draft, as in a flue, chimney, shaft of a mine, etc. -- Down in the mouth, chopfallen; dejected.

To beat with the fingers, as with drumsticks; to beat with a rapid succession of strokes; to make a noise like that of a beaten drum; as, the ruffed grouse drums with his wings. Drumming with his fingers on the arm of his chair. W. Irving.

to endure wind and weather. Both were of shining steel, and wrought so pure, As might the strokes of two such arms endure. Dryden.

The style of the epigram. Antithesis, i. e., bilateral stroke, is the soul of epigram in its later and technical signification. B. Cracroft.

To produce, as figures or designs, on mental, glass, or the like, by means of lines or strokes eaten in or corroded by means of some strong acid.

Length of stroke, as of a piston; stroke. [An awkward use of the word.]

team Engine), a cut-off valve, to shut off steam from the cylinder before the end of each stroke.

blade will be horizontal and offer the least resistance to air while reaching for another stroke. -- To tar and feather a person, to smear him with tar and cover him with feathers, as a punishment or an indignity.

A stroke or blow. [Obs. or R.] Curse on that cross, quoth then the Sarazin, That keeps thy body from the bitter fit. Spenser.

The motion of anything broad and loose, or a stroke or sound made with it; as, the flap of a sail or of a wing.

sometimes omitted, making the verb transitive. [He] cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke. Shak. Flee fornication. 1 Cor. vi. 18. So fled his enemies my warlike father. Shak.

The repeated stroke of something long and loose. Johnson.

To make ornamental strokes with the pen; to write graceful, decorative figures.

An accidental and favorable stroke at billiards (called a scratch in the United States); hence, any accidental or unexpected advantage; as, he won by a fluke. [Cant, Eng.] A. Trollope.