stroke

• blow, whipping; (medicine) apoplexy, sudden stoppage of blood flow to the brain; method of swimming (i.e. backstroke, etc.); light touch, caress; mark left by a writing implement
hit, beat; mark with a short line, cross out; caress, brush lightly
if you stroke someone or something, you move your hand slowly and gently over them.
if someone has a stroke, they have a sudden and severe illness which affects their brain, and which can often kill them or cause one side of their body to be paralysed.
the strokes of a pen or brush are the movements or marks you make with it when you are writing or painting.
when you are swimming or rowing, your strokes are the repeated movements you make with your arms or the oars.
a swimming stroke is a particular style or method of swimming.
in sports such as tennis, cricket and golf, a stroke is the action of hitting the ball.
the strokes of a clock are the sounds that indicate each hour.
a stroke of luck is something lucky that suddenly happens. a stroke of genius is a sudden idea or inspiration.
if something happens at a stroke or in one stroke, it happens suddenly and completely because of one single action.
someone who does not do a stroke of work is very lazy; an informal expression.