streak English · revision 10340

+ Streak, a line, is from Old English strica; streak, to rush, is a respelling of streek, a northern variant of stretch.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /stɹiːk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ {{homograph|1|line}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1000|origins=gem-pro *strikô}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English strike, streke, [[inh|ang|strica|t=line of motion, stroke of a pen, mark]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) related to strīcan, to pass over lightly (see [[strike]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from Proto-Germanic *strikōn,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) source also of Dutch streek, German [[m|de|Strich]] and Gothic striks, a stroke, line,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) said to be from PIE *strig-, to stroke, rub, press.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A line, mark or stroke, especially in writing or for measurement: about 1000, in Ælfric.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A thin line of a different colour or substance is from 1567–85,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) a stratum of coal or ore from the 17th century, and a strip of land or water from the 18th.^(Hoad 1986) The line of powder made by scratching a mineral is from 1794.^(OED 1989) A trace of some quality, as ''a mean streak'', and a run of luck or wins are later senses.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) The verb, to cancel by drawing lines across, is from 1440,^(Barnhart 1988) and to mark with streaks from 1595 (the 1590s).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The intransitive sense, to become streaked, is from 1870.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – a line, mark.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1440 – to strike out (verb).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1567 – a line of colour.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1595 – to mark with streaks.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1794 – a mineral's streak.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1870 – to become streaked.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A long thin mark or band of a different colour or texture from its surroundings.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A slight contrasting element or trace: ''a stubborn streak''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A short run, as of luck, or an unbroken series of wins or losses.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The colour of the powder a mineral leaves when rubbed on a hard surface.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To mark with streaks.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To lighten strands of hair chemically.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[streaked]]

+ * [[streaky]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|rush}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1768}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a respelling, probably by association with the noun, of streek, to go quickly (early 14th century),^(Etymonline) which first meant to stretch oneself (mid-13th century) and is a northern Middle English variant of [[stretch]].^(Etymonline) Streek itself was probably confused with [[strike]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To go quickly, rush, run at full speed: 1768.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The connection of sense may be through extending oneself in a direction.^(Etymonline) In the United States the verb tends to be associated with the noun.^(Etymonline) The sense to run naked through a public place was originally American slang.^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * mid-13th century – streek, to stretch oneself.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 14th century – streek, to go quickly.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1768 – streak, to rush.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To move at high speed; to [[rush]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' To run naked through a public place.^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[streaker]]

+ * [[streaking]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[strike]]

+ * [[stroke]]

+ * [[stretch]]

+ * [[strigil]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate verb streak, to stroke or rub, perhaps from Old Norse strjúka, survives only in dialect.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}