streak

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

streak, v. t. [Cf. Stretch, Streek.].

 To stretch; to extend; hence, to lay out, as a dead body.  [1913 Webster]

streak, n. [OE. streke; akin to D. streek a line, stroke, G. strich, AS. strica, Sw. strek, Dan. streg, Goth. stricks, and E. strike, stroke. See Strike, Stroke, n., and cf. Strake.].

•  A line or long mark of a different color from the ground; a stripe; a vein.  [1913 Webster]

  "What mean those colored streaks in heaven?"  [1913 Webster]
•  A strake.  [1913 Webster]
•  The fine powder or mark yielded by a mineral when scratched or rubbed against a harder surface, the color of which is sometimes a distinguishing character.  [1913 Webster]
•  The rung or round of a ladder.  [1913 Webster]

streak, v. t. 

•  To form streaks or stripes in or on; to stripe; to variegate with lines of a different color, or of different colors.  [1913 Webster]

  "A mule . . . streaked and dappled with white and black."  [1913 Webster]

  "Now streaked and glowing with the morning red."  [1913 Webster]
•  With it as an object: To run swiftly.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

streak, n. & v.
--n.
1 a long thin usu. irregular line or band, esp. distinguished by colour (black with red streaks; a streak of light above the horizon).
2 a strain or element in a person's character (has a streak of mischief).
3 a spell or series (a winning streak).
4 a line of bacteria etc. placed on a culture medium.
--v.
1 tr. mark with streaks.
2 intr. move very rapidly.
3 intr. colloq. run naked in a public place as a stunt.

Idiom

streak of lightning a sudden prominent flash of lightning.

Derivative

streaker n. streaking n.

Etymology

OE strica pen-stroke f. Gmc: rel. to STRIKE

THESAURUS

streak

X ray, actinic ray, actinism, animus, antelope, aptitude, arrow, atomic beam, atomic ray, band, bar, beam, beam of light, belt, bent, bespangle, bespeckle, bespot, bezel, bias, blaze, blaze a trail, blemish, blotch, blue darter, blue streak, body-build, bolt, brand, canal, canalize, cannonball, carve, cast, chalk, chalk up, chamfer, channel, character, characteristic, characteristics, chase, check, check off, checker, chink, chisel, cicatrize, complexion, composition, constituents, constitution, corrugate, corrugation, courser, crack, cranny, crasis, craze, crimp, cross-hatching, cut, dado, dapple, dart, dash, daub, define, delimit, delineation, demarcate, dharma, diagonal, diathesis, dike, discolor, disposition, ditch, dot, dotted line, eagle, eccentricity, electricity, engrave, engraving, ethos, express train, fiber, flake, flash, fleck, flute, fluting, fly, frame, freckle, furrow, gamma ray, gash, gazelle, genius, gleam, goffer, gouge, grain, greased lightning, greyhound, groove, gruel, gully, habit, hachure, hairline, hare, harlequin, hasten, hatch, hatching, hue, humor, humors, hurry, hurtle, idiosyncrasy, ilk, impress, imprint, incise, incision, inclination, individualism, infrared ray, invisible radiation, iris, jet plane, kidney, kind, lath, layer, leam, leaning, light, lightning, line, lineation, list, maculate, make, make a mark, makeup, marble, marbleize, mark, mark off, mark out, mental set, mercury, mere shadow, mettle, microgroove, mind, mind-set, mold, motley, mottle, nature, nick, notch, paper, patch, pencil, pepper, period, photon, physique, pleat, plow, point, polychrome, polychromize, predilection, predisposition, preference, prick, print, proclivity, propensity, property, punch, punctuate, puncture, quality, quicksilver, rabbet, race, radiation, radiorays, rail, rainbow, rake, ray, ray of light, ribbon, ribbon of light, riddle, rifle, rifling, rocket, ruck, run, rush, rut, scar, scared rabbit, scarify, scoot, score, scotch, scratch, seal, seam, set, shadow, shaving, shot, skeleton, slant, slash, slat, slip, slit, smear, solar rays, somatotype, sort, soup, spangle, spate, speck, speckle, speed, spell, spirit, splinter, splotch, spot, sprinkle, sprint, stain, stamp, stigmatize, stipple, strain, strake, stratum, streak of lightning, streaking, stream, stream of light, streamer, stretch, stria, striate, striation, striature, striga, striola, strip, stripe, striped snake, striping, stroke, stud, sublineation, suchness, sulcation, sulcus, swallow, system, tattoo, tear, temper, temperament, tendency, tenor, tessellate, thought, thunderbolt, tick, tick off, tone, torrent, touch, trace, trench, trough, turn, turn of mind, twist, type, ultraviolet ray, underline, underlining, underscore, underscoring, variegate, vein, violet ray, virgule, wafer, warp, way, well-worn groove, whistle, whiz, wind, wrinkle, zip, zoom

ROGET THESAURUS

streak

Length

N length, longitude, span, mileage, distance, line, bar, rule, stripe, streak, spoke, radius, lengthening, prolongation, production, protraction, tension, tensure, extension, line, nail, inch, hand, palm, foot, cubit, yard, ell, fathom, rood, pole, furlong, mile, league, chain, link, arpent, handbreadth, jornada, kos, vara, astronomical unit, AU, light- year, parsec, nanometer, nm, micron, micrometer, millimicron, millimeter, mm, centimeter, cm, meter, kilometer, km, pedometer, perambulator, scale, long, longsome, lengthy, wiredrawn, outstretched, lengthened, sesquipedalian, interminable, no end of, macrocolous, linear, lineal, longitudinal, oblong, as long as my arm, as long as today and tomorrow, unshortened &c (shorten), lengthwise, at length, longitudinally, endlong, along, tandem, in a line, in perspective, from end to end, from stem to stern, from head to foot, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, from top to toe, fore and aft.

Thinness

N narrowness, thinness, narrowness, closeness, exility, exiguity, line, hair's breadth, finger's breadth, strip, streak, vein, monolayer, epitaxial deposition, thinness, tenuity, emaciation, macilency, marcor, shaving, slip, thread paper, skeleton, shadow, anatomy, spindleshanks, lantern jaws, mere skin and bone, middle constriction, stricture, neck, waist, isthmus, wasp, hourglass, ridge, ghaut, ghat, pass, ravine, narrowing, coarctation, angustation, tapering, contraction, narrow, close, slender, thin, fine, thread-like, finespun, gossamer, paper-thin, taper, slim, slight-made, scant, scanty, spare, delicate, incapacious, contracted, unexpanded &c (expand), slender as a thread, emaciated, lean, meager, gaunt, macilent, lank, lanky, weedy, skinny, scrawny slinky, starved, starveling, herring gutted, worn to a shadow, lean as a rake, thin as a lath, thin as a whipping post, thin as a wafer, hatchet-faced, lantern-jawed, attenuated, shriveled, extenuated, tabid, marcid, barebone, rawboned, monomolecular.

Furrow

N furrow, groove, rut, sulcus, scratch, streak, striae, crack, score, incision, slit, chamfer, fluting, corduroy road, cradle hole, channel, gutter, trench, ditch, dike, dyke, moat, fosse, trough, kennel, ravine, tajo, thank-ye-ma'am, furrowed, ribbed, striated, sulcated, fluted, canaliculated, bisulcous, bisulcate, bisulcated, canaliferous, trisulcate, corduroy, unisulcate, costate, rimiform.

Light

N light, ray, beam, stream, gleam, streak, pencil, sunbeam, moonbeam, aurora, day, sunshine, light of day, light of heaven, moonlight, starlight, sunlight, daylight, broad daylight, noontide light, noontide, noonday, noonday sun, glow, glimmering, glint, play of light, flood of light, phosphorescence, lambent flame, flush, halo, glory, nimbus, aureola, spark, scintilla, facula, sparkling, emication, scintillation, flash, blaze, coruscation, fulguration, flame, lightning, levin, ignis fatuus, luster, sheen, shimmer, reflexion, reflection, gloss, tinsel, spangle, brightness, brilliancy, splendor, effulgence, refulgence, fulgor, fulgidity, dazzlement, resplendence, transplendency, luminousness, luminosity, lucidity, renitency, nitency, radiance, radiation, irradiation, illumination, actinic rays, actinism, Roentgen-ray, Xray, photography, heliography, photometer, optics, photology, photometry, dioptrics, catoptrics, chiaroscuro, clairobscur, clear obscure, breadth, light and shade, black and white, tonality, reflection, refraction, dispersion, refractivity, shining, luminous, luminiferous, lucid, lucent, luculent, lucific, luciferous, light, lightsome, bright, vivid, splendent, nitid, lustrous, shiny, beamy, scintillant, radiant, lambent, sheen, sheeny, glossy, burnished, glassy, sunny, orient, meridian, noonday, tide, cloudless, clear, unclouded, unobscured, gairish, garish, resplendent, transplendent, refulgent, effulgent, fulgid, fulgent, relucent, splendid, blazing, in a blaze, ablaze, rutilant, meteoric, phosphorescent, aglow, bright as silver, light as day, bright as day, light as noonday, bright as noonday, bright as the sun at noonday, actinic, photogenic, graphic, heliographic, heliophagous, a day for gods to stoop and men to soar, dark with excessive bright.

Variegation

VB be variegated, variegate, stripe, streak, checker, chequer, bespeckle, speckle, besprinkle, sprinkle, stipple, maculate, dot, bespot, tattoo, inlay, damascene, embroider, braid, quilt.

Indication

N indication, symbolism, symbolization, semiology, semiotics, semeiology, semeiotics, Zeitgeist, characteristic, diagnostic, lineament, feature, trait, fingerprint, voiceprint, footprint, noseprint, cloven hoof, footfall, recognition (memory), diagnostic, divining rod, detector, sign, symbol, index, indice, indicator, point, pointer, exponent, note, token, symptom, dollar sign, dollar mark, type, figure, emblem, cipher, device, representation, epigraph, motto, posy, gesture, gesticulation, pantomime, wink, glance, leer, nod, shrug, beck, touch, nudge, dactylology, dactylonomy, freemasonry, telegraphy, chirology, byplay, dumb show, cue, hint, clue, clew, key, scent, signal, signal post, rocket, blue light, watch fire, watch tower, telegraph, semaphore, flagstaff, cresset, fiery cross, calumet, heliograph, guidon, headlight, mark, scratch, line, stroke, dash, score, stripe, streak, tick, dot, point, notch, nick, print, imprint, impress, impression, keyboard symbols, printing symbols, red letter, italics, sublineation, underlining, bold font, jotting, note, annotation, reference, blaze, cedilla, guillemets, hachure, quotation marks, ", double quotes, " ", parentheses, "( )", brackets, "", braces, "", left arrow, "<", right arrow, ">", forward slash, "/", backward slash, "\", exclamation point, "!", commercial at, "@", pound sign, "#", percent sign, "%", carat, "", ampersand, "&", asterisk, "*", hyphen, "-", dash, "-", "_", em dash, "--", plus sign, "+", equals sign, "=", question mark, "?", period, ", ", semicolon, ", ", colon, ":", comma, ", ", apostrophe, "'", single quote, "'", tilde, "~", badge, criterion, countercheck, countermark, countersign, counterfoil, duplicate, tally, label, ticket, billet, letter, counter, check, chip, chop, dib, totem, tessera, card, bill, witness, voucher, stamp, cacher, trade mark, Hall mark, signature, mark, autograph, autography, attestation, hand, hand writing, sign manual, cipher, seal, sigil, signet, hand and seal, paraph, brand, superscription, indorsement, endorsement, password, watchword, catchword, security card, pass, passkey, credentials, open sesame, timbrology, mot de passe, mot du guet, pass-parole, shibboleth, title, heading, docket, address card, visiting card, carte de visite, insignia, banner, banneret, bannerol, bandrol, flag, colors, streamer, standard, eagle, labarum, oriflamb, oriflamme, figurehead, ensign, pennon, pennant, pendant, burgee, blue Peter, jack, ancient, gonfalon, union jack, banderole, old glory, quarantine flag, vexillum, yellow-flag, yellow jack, tricolor, stars and stripes, bunting, heraldry, crest, coat of arms, arms, armorial bearings, hatchment, escutcheon, scutcheon, shield, supporters, livery, uniform, cockade, epaulet, chevron, garland, love knot, favor, beacon, cairn, post, staff, flagstaff, hand, pointer, vane, cock, weathercock, guidepost, handpost, fingerpost, directing post, signpost, pillars of Hercules, pharos, bale-fire, beacon-fire, l'etoile du Nord, landmark, seamark, lighthouse, balize, polestar, loadstar, lodestar, cynosure, guide, address, direction, name, sign, signboard, warning, omen, prefigurement, trace, record, warning &c, alarm, scepter, trophy, gauge, milestone, milepost, brand, fool's cap, check, telltale, test, mileage ticket, milliary, notification, advertisement, word of command, call, bugle call, trumpet call, bell, alarum, cry, battle cry, rallying cry, angelus, reveille, sacring bell, sanctus bell, exposition &c (explanation), proof, pattern, indicating, indicative, indicatory, denotative, connotative, diacritical, representative, typical, symbolic, pantomimic, pathognomonic, symptomatic, characteristic, demonstrative, diagnostic, exponential, emblematic, armorial, individual, known by, recognizable by, indicated, pointed, marked, denotable, indelible, in token of, symbolically, in dumb show, ecce signum, ex ungue leonem, ex pede Herculem, vide ut supra, vultus ariete fortior.