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stroke meaning and examples

2025-08-31

Meaning

Stroke has several meanings depending on context:

  1. Noun

    • A sudden medical condition where blood flow to the brain is blocked or interrupted.
    • A single movement of a hand, pen, brush, or tool.
    • A style or movement in swimming, rowing, or tennis.
    • A sudden occurrence or instance of something (e.g., a stroke of luck).

  2. Verb

    • To move one’s hand gently over a surface or object, often to show affection.

Grammar and Usage

  • Noun:

    • have/suffer a stroke: medical usage.
    • a stroke of luck/genius: idiomatic usage.
    • swimming strokes: breaststroke, backstroke, freestyle, butterfly.
    • brush strokes: art usage.

  • Verb (transitive):

    • to stroke someone’s hair: gently rub or caress.

Common Phrases

  • a stroke of luck (a lucky event)
  • a stroke of genius (a brilliant idea)
  • brush stroke (in painting)
  • swimming stroke (technique in swimming)
  • heat stroke (illness from excessive heat)

Collocations

  • Verb + stroke: suffer a stroke, prevent a stroke, treat a stroke
  • Adjective + stroke: massive stroke, mild stroke, fatal stroke
  • Stroke + noun: stroke patient, stroke recovery, stroke risk
  • Verb (caress): stroke gently, stroke softly, stroke lovingly

Examples

  1. His grandfather suffered a stroke last year.
  2. She painted the picture with quick brush strokes.
  3. He won the race using the butterfly stroke.
  4. It was a stroke of luck that we arrived just in time.
  5. The doctor warned him about his risk of having a stroke.
  6. She gently stroked the cat as it purred on her lap.
  7. The artist’s bold strokes made the painting stand out.
  8. He came up with a stroke of genius that saved the project.
  • Noun: blow, movement, hit, touch, incident
  • Verb: caress, pet, rub, pat