▪ I. strake, n.1
(streɪk)
Also α. 6 strack, strak, straake, 7 straak, 6–8 straik; β. 6 streake, 6–9 streak.
[ME. strake, app. belonging to the OTeut. root *strak- whence *strakjan, OE. stręccan stretch v. Cf. NFris. (Sylt) straak a stretch, straake v. to stretch oneself.
It is perh. impossible to distinguish accurately between this word and streak n.1 (:—OE. strica). From the 16th c., in some dialects, streak has been a possible phonetic spelling of strake n.1, and strake of streak n.1 The two words, etymologically unconnected, have developed senses nearly coincident, and have to some extent coalesced.
There is also some confusion between this word and strake northern form of stroke n.]
1. a. A section of the iron rim of a cart-wheel. b. A strip of iron attached to the left side of a plough (= ploughstrake).
| α 1330–1 Exchequer Acc. K. R. Bundle 18 no. 34 (Publ. Rec. Off.), xii. strak' ferri pro rotis carectarum. 1334–5 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 526 In reparacione 1 strakis, 35 straknaill' et 4 wyndbandes, 23d. 1407–8 in Hudson & Tingey Rec. Norwich (1910) II. 55 [To the same for] carte strakes, cloutes [and nails]. 1519 tr. Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 299 Making 4 lie straikis of iron for lie extreis, 4d. 1538 Elyot Dict., Canthus, the yron wherwith the extremytie of wheeles be bounden, the straake of a carte. 1539 Archæologia XI. 439, 23 stracks of iron for saker and fawcon whelys. 1587 Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1860) 308, xj straikes of iron, for byndyng a paire of wheles. c 1611 Chapman Iliad xx. 347 His body..Which Grecian horse broke with the strakes, naild to their chariot wheeles. 1710 J. Harris Lex. Techn. II, Straiks, in Gunnery, are Plates of Iron of the length and breadth of one of the 6 Felloes, which serve for the Round of the Wheel of a Gun-carriage. 1794 W. Felton Carriages (1801) I. 112 The strake is the short iron with which the common wheel is rung. 1832 Scoreby Farm Rep. 3 in Libr. Usef. Knowl., Husb. III, The plough..is..made of ash-wood, with a mould-board and slips, or strakes of cast iron. 1888 Hardy Wessex Tales II. 187 The waggon-wheels be without strakes. 1894 A. Jessopp Random Roaming, etc. 138 The next best substitute for tyres, to wit, thick iron plates, called strakes, attached to the fellies by long spikes. |
| β 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Vietus, an hoope, or a streake of a carte. 1683 Pat. Office 229. 1 A new Invencion of makeing severall things of Iron..as Streaks or Tire for Wheeles, &c. 1797 J. Curr Coal Viewer 15 The corf..contains neat measure clear of the boxes which cover the wheels, to the streak, 20491 solid inches. 1858 Straith's Fortif. & Artillery (ed. 7) ii. 121 The English tire is on in six pieces, called streaks. 1876 Voyle & Stevenson Milit. Dict. 411/2 Streak, iron plate fastened in pieces to form the tire round the circumference of gun-carriage or other wheels [etc.]. |
2. A stripe of different colour from the rest of the surface of which it forms part: = streak n.1
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvi. iii. (Tollemache MS.) Alabaster is a white stone with strakes of diuerse coloure. 1496–7 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905) 33 A diaper towell..with vj strakis at euerye ende. 1537 Bible (‘Matthew’) Gen. xxx. 37 Iacob toke roddes of..hasell & of chestnot-trees, & pylled whyte strakes [so 1611; Coverdale, strekes] in them. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 381 Summe lowe places..looke like redde cliffes with white strakes like wayes a cable length a piece. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. 116 b, Others commend the blacke, specially if he haue either white starre in his forhed, or strake downe his face. 1589 Greene Tullies Love Wks. (Grosart) VII. 123 The purest Chrisolite hath his strakes. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. iv. 15 His burning eyen, whom bloody strakes did staine. 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xiv. (1611) 131 His colour most commonlie sandie with a blacke strake along his backe. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 70 As soon as their Maids become marriageable, they make several blew strakes in their faces. a 1700 Evelyn Diary June 1645, They weare very long crisped haire, of severall strakes and colours. 1735 Dyche & Pardon Dict., Strake,..also any Stroke or Mark of a different Colour upon Cattle, Fruit, &c. 1750 W. Ellis Mod. Husb. III. i. 131 (E.D.S.) Mix beaten salt regularly with [the butter],..else the buttermilk, whey, and salt will shew themselves in strakes. 1879 G. Macdonald Sir Gibbie li, There's ae unco black ane [cloud] yon'er..wi' a straik o' white, aboot the thrapple o' 't. |
3. Naut. Each of the several continuous lines of planking or plates, of uniform breadth, in the side of a vessel, extending from stem to stern. Hence, the breadth of a plank used as a unit of vertical measurement in a ship's side.
binding-strake, see quot. 1867. garboard strake, see garboard.
| α 1419 J. Alcetre in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 69 At the making of this Letter yt [sc. the ship] was in this estate, that ys to wetyng xxxvj strakys in hyth ybordyd, on the weche strakys byth ylayde xi bemys. 1537 St. Papers Hen. VIII, I. 569 The greate tymber of the ship is alredy framed, and thre strakes therof planked. 1627 Capt. Smith Sea Gram. xi. 53 By ripping off the plankes two or three strakes vnder water. 1727 Bailey vol. II. s.v. Strake, To heel a Strake [Sea Term], a Ship is said so to do, when she inclines or hangs more to one Side than another, the Quantity of a whole Plank's Breadth. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780), Black-strakes, a range of planks immediately above the wales in a ship's side. 1840 Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl. III. 349/2 The lower 6 strakes which form the bottom, and extend from the keel-plate to the turn of the bilge, are clinker-built. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 102 Binding-strakes, thick planks on the decks, in midships, between the hatchways. Also the principal strakes of plank in a vessel. 1892 Kipling Barrack-room Ballads, The ‘Bolivar’ 143 We..Heard the seas like drunken men pounding at her strake. 1894 Act 57 & 58 Vict. c. 60, Sch. 2 (1) Deducting the average thickness of the ceiling which is between the bilge planks and limber strake. 1896 Kipling Seven Seas, Derelict 75 The footless, floating weed Folds me and fouls me, strake on strake upcrawling. 1914 Blackw. Mag. Apr. 501/2 The yawl was now being raised a strake that she might follow the long boat. |
| β a 1612 Ralegh Let. to Pr. Henry Sceptick etc. (1651) 130 Which with a deep keel and standing streak she would perform. 1748 Anson's Voy. i. x. 104 The ship heeled afterwards two streaks to port. 1773 Cook's 1st Voy. iii. iv. in Hawkesw. Voy. III. 567 He reported that three streaks of the sheathing, about eight feet long, were wanting. 1797 S. James Narr. Voy. 192 Hove the ship six streaks out of water. 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxxv. 134 We painted her on the outside, giving her open ports in her streak. 1856 ‘Stonehenge’ Brit. Rural Sports ii. viii. iii. 475/1 When first these boats were introduced, they were almost always built of four or five streaks, or planks, on each side. 1863 Reade Hard Cash xiv, The Agra rose a streak; and the next wave carried her a little farther in shore. |
b. ? Erroneous definition.
| 1688 Holme Armoury iii. 166/2 Strake, is a seam between two Planks. 1704 J. Harris Lex. Techn. I. |
† 4. A reef in a sail. Obs.
| 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iv. 80 For ne had þei striked a strake..And abated a bonet or þe blast come, Þey had be þrowe ouere þe borde backewarde ichonne. |
† 5. A strip, narrow tract (of land or water). Obs.
| 1503 in Trans. Roy. Hist. Soc. (1902) 152 Beyng yn a strake of a medowe lyeng yn the bak syde of Crambroke. 1511 Guylforde's Pilgr. (Camden) 12 This Morrea is..almoste inuyrounde with the see, excepte one strake of a .vj. myle brode, whiche yeueth entre into Grecia. 1577–87 Harrison England ii. iv. 155 in Holinshed, Lach lade, which is parted from the main countie of Barkeshire by a little strake of Oxfordshire. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 336 Ane great fowsie and strak of watter. |
b. A stretch of ground travelled over. Also, length of stride; speed in travelling, pace.
| 1558 T. Phaer æneid viii. (1562) Cc 1, Thei through y⊇ thornie downs..in armour iointly ryde, hie shoutes vprise, & clustring strakes thei gallup. 1804 in Daily Chron. (1904) 25 Aug. 4/7 [Her horse had] much the shorter strake of the two. 1823 W. Tennant Card. Beaton v. vii. 171 Aweel, we've haen a fine straik, an' are now safe hame agen. 1865 Mrs. Whitney Gayworthys xvi, ‘Well, I'm restless,’ replied Gershom,..‘she's [the ship's] going a good streak, ain't she? We'll be in by to-morrow night, they say.’ |
† 6. A ray, beam of light. Obs.
| c 1400 Three Kings Cologne (1886) 34 Þe sterre..is nothyng liche to sterres þat be peynted here in diuers places: ffor hit had riȝt many longe strakys and beemys. 1594 Nashe Terrors Nt. Wks. 1904 I. 354 Bloody streamers, blasing Comets, firie strakes. a 1633 Austen Medit. (1635) 28 So..Followes him a heavenly strake, Darting Light through all his path. 1825 R. Carruthers in F. Miller Poets Dumfriesh. (1910) 224 In quiet lang straiks the holie licht lay On the swaird. |
7. A swath (of mown grass); a wisp (of straw).
| 1585 Higins Junius' Nomencl. 124/2 Fœni striga,..the swathe or strake of grasse, as it lyeth mowne downe with the sithe. 1909 J. Barlow Irish Ways 1 To darn his thatched roof with strakes of straw. |
† 8. A wheel-rut. Obs.
| 1617 Minsheu Ductor s.v., The Strake of a wheele [is so called]..because it makes a strake in the ground as it goeth. 1655 tr. Sorel's Com. Hist. Francion iii. 53 At last, lighting into the Concave of a strake [F. horniere] made by the Wheel of the Sun's Chariot, there my Course was stopp'd. |
9. Comb.: strake-nail, a kind of nail used for fastening the strakes to the wheel; † strake-shide, a piece of wood forming one of the timbers of a saw-pit; strake-tire, a tire composed of strakes.
| 1334–5 *Strake-nail [see 1]. 1570 Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1835) 329, I do gyue..vnto my Godsonn Mychiell tompson..a great naill tull & a straicke naill tull. 1802 C. James Milit. Dict., Streak-Nails are those which fasten the streaks to the fellies of the wheels. |
| 1536 Churchw. Acc. Yatton (Somerset Rec. Soc.) 150 Payd for drawyng of *strake schyd to y⊇ sayd pytte, v{supd}. |
| 1837 W. B. Adams Carriages 95 The application of what is called a ‘hoop tire’ instead of a ‘*strake tire’. |
▪ II. † strake, n.2 Hunting. Obs.
[Belongs to strake v.2]
Some particular signal with the horn.
| c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxxv, Þan shulde he blowe a moot and strake withoute þe moote in þe mydle forto drawe men togedre. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. lii. 500 And alle the blastes that longen to all maner of gamen. Fyrste to the vncoupelynge, to the sekynge,..and to strake, and many other blastes and termes. 1576 Turberv. Venerie, Meas. Blowing (1908) 251 The Strake to the Fielde. To be blowen with twoo windes. Ibid. 254 A Strake of nyne, to drawe home the companie. With twoo windes. |
▪ III. strake, n.3 Mining.
(streɪk)
Also strek, streke.
[Of obscure origin.
Possibly the same word as strake n.1; cf. strake-shide (strake n.1 9) and side-strakes, used dial. for the two longitudinal timbers of a sawpit (W. Som. Wd.-bk.); it seems likely that the word was applied in the plural to the boards lining the washing pit, and then to the whole apparatus.]
a. A shallow pit for the purpose of washing ore. b. A wooden box without ends, used for the same purpose.
| 1758 Borlase Nat. Hist. Cornwall 203 In several pits made for that purpose called the strakes, it [the poorer sort of ore] is washed clean. 1778 Pryce Min. Cornub. 226 At the higher end is a circular pit called the Strêk or Strep, large enough to contain four hand barrows full of slime. Ibid. 227 The rough grains lie at the bottom of the strêk. Ibid. 233 The strêke or strakes is made of two deal boards laid flat for a bottom fourteen inches in the ground. 1860 Mining Gloss., Cornw. 24 Strake, a launder, or box of wood without ends, in which the process of washing or tying is performed. |
c. Gold-mining. An apparatus for concentrating the stamped ore.
| 1887 J. A. Phillips & Bauerman Elem. Metall. (ed. 2) 789 The discharge from the screens..is..conducted over inclined strakes each 20 inches in width and 22 feet in length, which have a fall of 1 in 10. These strakes are made of well-seasoned 1½ inch planks nailed to triangular frames. |
d. attrib.
| 1839 H. T. De la Beche Rep. Geol. Cornwall, etc. xv. 593 The stony part, from its great volume, accumulated at the lower end or tail of the strake-boards. 1887 J. A. Phillips & Bauerman Elem. Metall. (ed. 2) 789 Each end of the strake-frame is supported [etc.]. |
▪ IV. † strake, n.4 Obs. rare—1.
[Either the northern form of stroke n. (misused, as the scene is Shrewsbury), or an error for strike n.]
A bushel: = strike, stroke ns.
| 1706 Farquhar Recruiting Officer iii. i, Bull. Come Ruose, Ruose, I sold fifty Strake of Barley to day in half this time. |
▪ V. strake, v.1 Obs. exc. dial.
(streɪk)
[app. f. OTeut. root *strak- whence *strakjan to stretch. Cf. NFris. straake, to stretch oneself.]
1. intr. To move, go, proceed.
| 13.. Bonaventura's Medit. 661 To hys fete anon þan þey straked. c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 1312 And with that worde, ryght anoon They gan to strake forth [Skeat conjectures They gon forth straken (or striken)], al was doon For that tyme the herte huntynge. 1394 P. Pl. Crede 82 Wiþ sterne staues and stronge þey ouer lond strakeþ. 1860 C. M. Yonge Hopes & Fears I. 290 Some villanous slander, of course, there is, but it is no business of yours to be straking off to make it worse. |
† 2. To extend, stretch. Obs.
| 1594 R. C[arew] Tasso (1881) 74 A beard bigge, bushy, knotted gristelly: From wrapped muzzle down his rough bosom strakes. |
▪ VI. † strake, v.2 Hunting. Obs.
[Of obscure origin: cf. strake n.2]
trans. To sound (a particular call) on the horn. Also absol. or intr. Hence † ˈstraking vbl. n.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1364 Strakande ful stoutly mony stif motez. Ibid. 1923. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 1386 Steryn steuyn vp strake strakid þar trumpis. c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxxiii, And whan þer is nought ylefte, þan shulnde þe lorde gyfe hym luste, and elles þe maistre of þe game..shulde strake in þis wyse: Þat is to say blowe .iiii. moot a litell lenger þan þe first iiii. Ibid. xxxv, Þei shulde strake þe assise þat longeth to þe herte slayne with strength. Ibid., And alle oþere hunters shall strake þe common strakynge as is aboue deuysed and seyde. 14.. in Rel. Ant. I. 152, I shall blowe a mote, and aftirward I shall strake after myn houndes. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. xxi. 370 Thenne kyng Mark blewe and straked and there with his knyghtes came to hym. 1576 Turberv. Venerie, Meas. Blowing (1908) 252 The Straking from Couert to Couert. With twoo windes. |
▪ VII. † strake, v.3 Obs.
Also 6–7 Sc. straik.
[perh. a northern form of stroke v. But cf. streak v.2]
1. trans. ? To sharpen, whet.
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 367/1 To Strake, affilare. |
2. To rub lightly, esp. with an unguent or the like; to smear, grease. Also with over. Also to smear (an unguent, etc.) upon something.
| 1506 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. III. 203 Item, for mending of thre irn boltis and straking of ane axtree, xviij s. 1535 Coverdale Ezek. iv. 12 Barly cakes shalt thou eate, yet shalt thou first strake them ouer with mans donge, y{supt} they maye se it. 1561 Hollybush Hom. Apoth. 7 Let hys lamed lymmes be straked wyth water of Lauender. Ibid. 21 Strake thys [sc. a lotion] oft about hys heade. 1578 Lyte Dodoens i. ii. 6 With the same [preparation]..they vse to rubbe and strake painefull bleered eyes. 1579 Langham Gard. Health 68 Bengewin..Being straked on the eyes with Hony, it quickeneth the sight. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. 72 It [sc. the chrism] is in this sacrament straiked be solemn cæremonie vpon the forhead. 1600 Surflet Country Farm i. xxv. 159 Afterward you shall strake the shorne sheepe all ouer their skins with your drie hande, moistened in oile and wine mingled togither, to comfort them withall. 1676 Row Contn. Blair's Autobiogr. xii. (1848) 427 Others thought he was but straking cream in their mouths first. |
3. To draw (something) along a surface.
| c 1530 Interl. Beauty & Gd. Prop. Women C ij, A foule rough bych..strakyng her body along on the gras. |
Hence † straking vbl. n. concr.
| 1409 Acc. Exch. K.R. 44/11 (3) m. 3 In .j. lagena incasti [sic] empta..et expendita in reparacione del strakynge pro pictura eiusdem [bargie]. |
▪ VIII. strake, v.4
(streɪk)
[f. strake n.1]
† 1. trans. To mark with lines, to streak. Obs.
| 1537 [cf. straked ppl. a.]. 1552 in Archæologia XLIII. 236, j red hangynge of silke straked withe golde. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. 31 The stalke is..straked [L. strigato] like to the greater Fearne. 1591 Percivall Sp. Dict., Rayar,..to strake out. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. III. 392 They..brought..many mantles of cotton straked with blew and white. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 699 Faire Iacinthes, that are good Iewels, straked like as it were with Naturall veines. 1718 J. Fox Publ. Spirit 13 Just when the Morning Goddess..strak'd with infant Light the Eastern Skies. |
2. intr. To become streaky.
| 1911 Masefield Everlasting Mercy (1912) 56 The peacock screamed, the clouds were straking, My cut cheek felt the weather breaking. |
▪ IX. strake, v.5 Mining.
(streɪk)
Also 8 streke.
[f. strake n.3]
trans. To wash (ore) in a strake. Also Gold-mining, to concentrate (ore) by means of strakes.
| 1778 Pryce Min. Cornub. 233 Throwing aside the poorer part, which is afterwards to be streked and washed. 1839 H. T. De la Beche Rep. Geol. Cornwall, etc. xv. 592 The poorer ores were put aside to be straked. 1882 Rep. Ho. Repr. Prec. Met. U.S. 608 Their plan of concentration being principally what is called ‘straking’, consisting of a number of fixed inclined trays 30 feet in length. |
▪ X. strake
see straik, strike v., stroke.