stroke

a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument all it took was one hard stroke to knock the ball out of the tree Synonyms bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse [British], fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup [dialect], lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, blow, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop (also whap)Related Words counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke; body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut; cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO; bastinado (or bastinade), battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling (or cudgelling), drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling (also pummelling), thrashing; flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

1 to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner the young mother gently stroked the sleeping child's brow and then leaned over and kissed him Synonyms caress, gentle, love, pat, pet, fondleRelated Words bill, canoodle, cuddle, neck, nestle, nose, nuzzle, snuggle, spoon; feel up, paw; cradle, embrace, enfold, hug; bounce, dandle; knead, massage; baby, coddle, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil

2 to praise too much a politician with a special gift for stroking fat-cat donors Synonyms adulate, belaud, blarney, butter up, hero-worship, honey, massage, overpraise, puff, soft-soap, flatterRelated Words blandish, cajole, coax, sweet-talk, wheedle; fawn, kowtow, suck (up to), toady; idolize, worship; eulogize, extol (also extoll), laud, praise; applaud, commend, compliment; congratulate, felicitate; drool, gush, slaver, slobber; endear, ingratiate; court, romance, wooNear Antonyms bad-mouth, belittle, decry, depreciate, disparage, put down