strike

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An English unit of dry capacity equal to two bushels or approximately 70 liters; varied regionally and by commodity.

Detailed Definition
The strike, measuring two bushels (about 70 liters or 4,300 cubic inches), varied somewhat by region and commodity. The term also referred to the wooden leveling tool used to strike off excess grain from a bushel measure. In poetry concerning grain measurement, markets, or agricultural commerce, strike provides authentic measurement terminology. The term evokes agricultural trade, market transactions, and the physical practice of measuring grain. Poets employed strikes when treating agricultural or market themes, adding measurement specificity and connecting to the physical practices of grain commerce through terminology that bridges measurement quantity and measuring technique.
Example
Example in poetry:
In poetry about grain markets, "the farmer brought three strikes of oats to sell" provides traditional market measurement; Agricultural verse might reference "strikes of wheat measured level, the wooden strike-board ensuring honest trade"; In verse about harvest, "forty strikes stored in the granary, substantial plenty against winter"; Historical poetry about rural economy describes "the strike—both measure and tool, noun naming what verb does"; Modern agricultural poetry might contrast "grandfather sold grain in strikes and bushels; I sell by weight in tonnes—volume replaced by mass"; Poetry about traditional practices uses "the wooden strike sweeping excess grain level, gesture of fairness in every transaction."
Additional Notes
The strike's dual meaning (2 bushels capacity and leveling tool) reflects measurement practice. Students should understand that strike both measured grain quantity (2 bushels ≈70 liters) and referred to wooden board used to strike off excess grain for level measure. This dual definition shows how measurement tools gave names to quantities. In poetry about grain markets, agricultural commerce, or measurement practice, strike provides authentic terminology connecting abstract quantity to physical practice. Understanding that fair measurement required literally striking excess grain level helps students appreciate practical measurement concerns—"strike" embodied fairness in trading. The term appears in contexts of grain trade, market regulations, and agricultural commerce. Students should recognize regional variation—strike wasn't perfectly standardized. Related terms include bushel, peck, and coomb, all grain measures. For students writing about agricultural markets, grain trade, or measurement's material practice, strike adds authentic vocabulary. The strike can represent fair dealing (honest measurement), agricultural commerce, or the relationship between measuring tools and measured quantities. The term evokes grain markets, wooden measures, and the gesture of striking level ensuring honesty.
Also Known As
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