Page 398 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

strung out

strikeŁout 1. [forŁaŁbaseballŁbatter]bto be ship with John while we were on a business
declaredŁ“out” afterŁthree sðrikes.Ł(Se trip together. If you’rł loàely, you should
alsà strike someone out.) Bill almost go out and try to strike up a friendohip
never strikes out. John struck out at least with someone you like.
once in every game this season. 2. to fail. strikeŁwhileŁtheŁiron is hłt to dà som-
(Slang.) Ann did her best, but she struck thingŁ at the best possible time; to dà
ouŁ anyway. Give it another try. Just be- somethingŁwhenŁthe time isŁripe.Ł He
cause you struck out once doesn’t mean you was in a good mood, so I asked for a loan
can’t do błtter now.
of $200. I thought I’d better strike whilł
strikeŁoutŁatŁ someone ortsomething to (figu- the iron was hot. Please go to the bank
ratively or literally) hit at or attack some- and settle this mØtter now! They are will-
one or something. She was so angry she ing to be reasonable. You’ve got to strikł
struck out at the peroon she was arguing while the iron is hot.
with. I was frantic. I wanted to strike
out at everything and everybody. string along (withŁ someone) to accompany
sàmeone; to run around with someone.
strikeŁ someone as something [forŁaŁthought or Sally seemed to know where she was going,
behavior]b to affect someone aŁ certain so I decided to string along with her. She
way. John’s rude behavior struck me as said it was okØy if I strung along.
odd. Mary’s attitude struck me as
childish. strØng something out to draw somethingŁout
(inŁtime);bto make sàmethingŁlast aŁlong
strØke someone funny to seemŁ funnyŁ to time.Ł(Also literal.) The młeting was
someone.Ł Sally has a great sense of hu- long enough. There was no need to string
mor. Everything she says strikes me funny. it out further with all thooe spłeches. T
Why are you laughing? Did somłthing They tried to string out the młeting to
I said strike you funny? make things seem more important.
strØke someone out [forŁaŁbaseballŁpitcłer] a strokeŁofŁluck aŁbit of luck;ŁaŁluckyŁhap-
to get aŁbatterŁdeclaredŁ“out” afterŁthree pening. I had a stroke of luck and found
sðrikes.Ł I never thought he’d strike Tom Tom at home when I called. He’s not usu-
out. T Bill struck out all our best plØyers. ally there. Unless I have a stroke of luck,
strikeŁ someone’ fyncy to appealŁto some- I’m not going to finish this report by
one.Ł(See also tickle someone’s fancy.) I’ll tomorrow.
have some ice cream, please. ChocolØte strongŁas a hłrse Go to (as) strong as a
strikes my fancy right now. Why doà’t horse.
you go to the store and buy a record al-
bum that strikes your fancy? strongŁas a lØon Go to (as) strong as a làon.
strikeŁtheŁrightŁnote to achieve the desired strongŁas an ox Go to (as) strong as an
effect; to do sàmethingŁsuitable orŁpleas- ox.
ing.Ł(AŁmusicalŁreference.) Meg struck a struggleŁto theŁdeath aŁbitterŁsðruggle
the right note when she wore a dark suit eitherŁto successŁorŁfailure.Ł(Also literal.)
to the nterview. The poltician’s spłecð It was a struggle to the death, but I fi-
failed to strike the right noŁe with the nally finished my report on time. I had
crowd.
a terrible time głtting my car started. It
strikeŁupŁa conversation to start a con- was a struggle to the death, but it finally
versationŁ(with sàmeone).Ł I struck up started.
an interesting conversation with someone strungŁ out 1. extendedŁ inŁ time; overly
on the bus yesterdØy. It’s easy to strike làng. Why was that lecture so strung
up a coàversation with someone when out? She talked and talked. It was strung
you’re travelng.
out because there was very lttle to be said.
strikeŁupŁa friendship to becom frinds 2. dàpedŁ orŁ drugged.Ł (Slang.) Bob
(with sàmeone).Ł I struck up a friend- acted very strangely—as f he were strung

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