Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - stroke

 I. transitive verb  (~d; stroking)  Etymology: Middle English, from Old English stracian; akin to Old High German strihhan to ~ — more at strike  Date: before 12th century  1. to rub gently in one direction; also caress  2. to flatter or pay attention to in a manner designed to reassure or persuade  • ~r noun  II. noun  Etymology: Middle English; akin to Old English strican to ~ — more at strike  Date: 13th century  1. the act of striking; especially a blow with a weapon or implement  2. a single unbroken movement; especially one of a series of repeated or to-and-fro movements  3.  a. a controlled swing intended to hit a ball or shuttlecock; also a striking of the ball  b. such a ~ charged to a player as a unit of scoring in golf  4.  a. a sudden action or process producing an impact a ~ of lightning  b. an unexpected result a ~ of luck  5. sudden diminution or loss of consciousness, sensation, and voluntary motion caused by rupture or obstruction (as by a clot) of a blood vessel of the brain — called also apoplexy, cerebrovascular accident  6.  a. one of a series of propelling beats or movements against a resisting medium a ~ of the oar  b. a rower who sets the pace for a crew  7.  a. a vigorous or energetic effort by which something is done, produced, or accomplished a ~ of genius a brilliant diplomatic ~  b. a delicate or clever touch in a narrative, description, or construction  8. heartbeat  9. the movement in either direction of a mechanical part (as a piston) having a reciprocating motion; also the distance of such movement  10. the sound of a bell being struck at the ~ of twelve; also the specific time indicated by or as if by such a sound  11. ~ (I) an act of stroking or caressing  12.  a. a mark or dash made by a single movement of an implement  b. one of the lines of a letter of the alphabet  III. verb  (~d; stroking)  Date: 1597  transitive verb  1.  a. to mark with a short line ~ the t's  b. to cancel by drawing a line through ~d out his name  2. to set the ~ for (a rowing crew); also to set the ~ for the crew of (a rowing boat)  3. hit; especially to propel (a ball) with a controlled swinging blow  intransitive verb  1. to execute a ~  2. to row at a certain number of ~s a minute