Verb

(often with at) To lash out; to strike or hit at someone or something, particularly something in arm's length of the striker and at or near the level of the striker's head.

* {{quote-book

, year=1885 , year_published= , author=James Runciman , title=Grace Balmaign's sweetheart , page=203 citation , passage= The gallant old skipper had struck out with his fist and the blow took effect; "spread the chap's nose all ower his fyesce" as he afterwards said ...}}

(figuratively) To strongly criticize or make a verbal attack, particularly as a response to previous criticism or provocation.

* {{quote-book

, year=1954 , author=Kenneth E. Trombley , title=The life and times of a happy liberal: a biography of Morris Llewellyn Cooke , page=163 citation , passage=... 1937, before the Maryland Farm Bureau Federation, he struck out at his critics. He said: When the Federal Government first undertook to help farmers get ...}}

To draw a line through some text such as a printed or written sentence, with the purpose of deleting that text from the rest of the document.

* {{quote-book

, year=1787 , year_published=1903 , author=James Madison , title=The Writings of James Madison: 1787. Journal of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 , page=165 citation , passage=Mr. Randolph moved to strike out the words, "each House" and to insert the words, "the House of Representatives" in Sect. 7.}}

(ergative, baseball, softball) Of a batter, to be retired after three strikes (missed swings, as opposed to any other way of becoming "out"); of a pitcher, to cause this to happen to the batter.

Jones struck out on a nasty slider.

The pitcher struck out Jones with a nasty slider.

(intransitive, colloquial, figuratively) To fail; to be refused a request or to have a proposal not be accepted, in particular a request for a (hopefully romantic) date.

Dave asked the new girl to the dance but he struck out .

To begin to make one's way.

The travellers struck out towards the line of mountains.

Verb

To damage beyond use or repair.

The earthquake destroyed several apartment complexes.

To cause destruction.

''Hooligans destroy unprovoked

To neutralize, undo a property or condition.

''Smoking destroys the natural subtlety of the palate

To put down or euthanize.

Destroying a rabid dog is required by law.

(colloquial) To defeat soundly.

(computing) To remove data.

The memory leak happened because we forgot to destroy the temporary lists.