Meaning of strike work | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To go on strike.
   India, dated
2. To stop working (for a break, at the end of the work day, etc.).
   dated
3. To stop functioning.
   dated, figuratively

Examples

“About nine hundred bakers, it is said, struck work⟳ on Saturday night, in consequence of their wages not being raised.”

“[…] whenever they’ve got a point⟳ to gain⟳, no matter⟳ how unreasonable, they’ll strike⟳ work⟳.”

“1871, David Livingstone, journal entry dated 11 February, 1871, in Horace Waller (ed.), The Last⟳ Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, London: John Murray, 1874, Volume 2, Chapter 4, p. 99, Men struck work⟳ for higher wages: I consented to give⟳ them six dollars a month if they behaved well; if ill I diminish it, so we hope⟳ to start⟳ to-morrow.”

“The strike⟳, which is into its third day, has raised serious ethical questions whether doctors should strike⟳ work⟳ at the cost⟳ of patients.”

“1848, Charles Dickens, letter dated 28 November, 1848 in Georgina Hogarth and Mamie Dickens (eds.), The Letters of Charles Dickens, London: Chapman and Hall, Volume 1, p. 203, Come⟳ down on Friday. There is a train⟳ leaves London Bridge at two—gets here at four. By that time I shall be ready to strike⟳ work⟳.”

“This very year I saw⟳ the linnets at work⟳ thatching, just before a snow-storm which covered the ground several inches deep for a number⟳ of days. They struck work⟳ and left us for a while, no doubt⟳ in search⟳ of food.”

“c. 1930s, Bert Higgins, interview transcribed in Federal Writers’ Project of the Works Progress⟳ Administration for the State of Arkansas, Slave Narratives, Volume 2, Part 3, Washington: Library of Congress, 1941, When we got free old master read⟳ it to us out of the paper. We was out in the field and I was totin’ water. Some of ’em struck work⟳ and went to the house and set⟳ around a while but they soon went back to the field. And a few days after that he hired ’em.”

“1845, Robert Browning, letter dated 28 January, 1845 in The Letters of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Barrett, 1845-1846, New York: Harper, 1899, p. 9, Your books lie⟳ on my table here, at arm’s length from me, in this old room where I sit⟳ all day: and when my head aches or wanders or strikes work⟳, as it now or then will, I take⟳ my chance for either green-covered volume,”

“These auroras were accompanied with unusually great electro-magnetic disturbances in every part of the world. In many places the telegraph wires struck work⟳.”

“Many of the smaller brooks had struck work⟳ altogether, while the main river was reduced to a clear stream trickling lazily down between sloping banks of rounded white boulders […]”

“[…] when you come⟳ to the end⟳ of the beams and try⟳ to get⟳ up again, you find⟳ that your knees have⟳ temporarily struck work⟳ and refuse⟳ to lift⟳ you.”

CEFR level