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.
stracian, fr. strican 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.
