Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Stroke \Stroke\, obs. imp. of {Strike}.
   Struck.

Stroke \Stroke\, n. [OE. strok, strook, strak, fr. striken. See
   {Strike}, v. t.]
   1. The act of striking; a blow; a hit; a knock; esp., a
      violent or hostile attack made with the arm or hand, or
      with an instrument or weapon.

            His hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down
            the tree.                             --Deut. xix.
                                                  5.

            A fool's lips enter into contention and his mouth
            calleth for strokes.                  --Prov. xviii.
                                                  6.

            He entered and won the whole kingdom of Naples
            without striking a stroke.            --Bacon.

   2. The result of effect of a striking; injury or affliction;
      soreness.

            In the day that Lord bindeth up the breach of his
            people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
                                                  --Isa. xxx.
                                                  26.

   3. The striking of the clock to tell the hour.

            Well, but what's o'clock? - Upon the stroke of ten.
            -- Well, let is strike.               --Shak.

   4. A gentle, caressing touch or movement upon something; a
      stroking. --Dryden.

   5. A mark or dash in writing or printing; a line; the touch
      of a pen or pencil; as, an up stroke; a firm stroke.

            O, lasting as those colors may they shine, Free as
            thy stroke, yet faultless as thy line. --Pope.

   6. Hence, by extension, an addition or amandment to a written
      composition; a touch; as, to give some finishing strokes
      to an essay. --Addison.

   7. A sudden attack of disease; especially, a fatal attack; a
      severe disaster; any affliction or calamity, especially a
      sudden one; as, a stroke of apoplexy; the stroke of death.

            At this one stroke the man looked dead in law.
                                                  --Harte.

   8. A throb or beat, as of the heart. --Tennyson.

   9. One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting
      medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is
      accomplished; as, the stroke of a bird's wing in flying,
      or an oar in rowing, of a skater, swimmer, etc.; also:
      (Rowing)
      (a) The rate of succession of stroke; as, a quick stroke.
      (b) The oar nearest the stern of a boat, by which the
          other oars are guided; -- called also {stroke oar}.
      (c) The rower who pulls the stroke oar; the strokesman.

   10. A powerful or sudden effort by which something is done,
       produced, or accomplished; also, something done or
       accomplished by such an effort; as, a stroke of genius; a
       stroke of business; a master stroke of policy.

   11. (Mach.) The movement, in either direction, of the piston
       plunger, piston rod, crosshead, etc., as of a steam
       engine or a pump, in which these parts have a
       reciprocating motion; as, the forward stroke of a piston;
       also, the entire distance passed through, as by a piston,
       in such a movement; as, the piston is at half stroke.

   Note: The respective strokes are distinguished as up and down
         strokes, outward and inward strokes, forward and back
         strokes, the forward stroke in stationary steam engines
         being toward the crosshead, but in locomotives toward
         the front of the vehicle.

   12. Power; influence. [Obs.] ``Where money beareth [hath] all
       the stroke.'' --Robynson (More's Utopia).

             He has a great stroke with the reader. --Dryden.

   13. Appetite. [Obs.] --Swift.

   {To keep stroke}, to make strokes in unison.

            The oars where silver, Which to the tune of flutes
            kept stroke.                          --Shak.

Stroke \Stroke\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Strokeed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Strokeing}.] [OE. stroken, straken, AS. str[=a]cian, fr.
   str[=i]can to go over, pass. See {Strike}, v. t., and cf.
   {Straggle}.]
   1. To strike. [Obs.]

            Ye mote with the plat sword again Stroken him in the
            wound, and it will close.             --Chaucer.

   2. To rib gently in one direction; especially, to pass the
      hand gently over by way of expressing kindness or
      tenderness; to caress; to soothe.

            He dried the falling drops, and, yet more kind, He
            stroked her cheeks.                   --Dryden.

   3. To make smooth by rubbing. --Longfellow.

   4. (Masonry) To give a finely fluted surface to.

   5. To row the stroke oar of; as, to stroke a boat.

Source : WordNet®

stroke
     n 1: (sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a
          club or racket or bat or cue or hand; "it took two
          strokes to get out of the bunker"; "a good shot require
          good balance and tempo"; "he left me an almost
          impossible shot" [syn: {shot}]
     2: the maximum movement available to a pivoted or reciprocating
        piece by a cam [syn: {throw}, {cam stroke}]
     3: a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or
        occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the
        brain [syn: {apoplexy}, {cerebrovascular accident}, {CVA}]
     4: a light touch
     5: a light touch with the hands [syn: {stroking}]
     6: the oarsman nearest the stern of the shell who sets the pace
        for the rest of the crew
     7: a punctuation mark (/) used to separate related items of
        information [syn: {solidus}, {slash}, {virgule}, {diagonal},
         {separatrix}]
     8: a mark made by a writing implement (as in cursive writing)
     9: any one of the repeated movements of the limbs and body used
        for locomotion in swimming or rowing
     10: a single complete movement

stroke
     v 1: touch lightly and with affection, with brushing motions; "He
          stroked his long beard" [syn: {fondle}]
     2: strike a ball with a smooth blow
     3: row at a particular rate
     4: treat gingerly or carefully; "You have to stroke the boss"

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

stroke
     
        The oblique stroke character, "/", ASCII 47.
     
        See {ASCII} for other synonyms.
     
        [{Jargon File}]