Strike a jigger, to pick a lock, or break open a door.
Strike me lucky! an expression used by the lower orders when making a bargain, derived from the old custom of striking hands together, leaving in that of the seller a LUCK PENNY as an earnest that the bargain is concluded. In Ireland, at cattle markets, &c., a penny, or other small coin, is always given by the buyer to the seller to ratify the bargain.—Hudibras. Anciently this was called a “God’s penny.”
“With that he cast him a God’s penny.”—Heir of Linne.
The origin of the phrase being lost sight of, like that of many others, it is often used as a modification of “Strike me blind!” and is now and again corrupted into “Strike me silly!” A foolish variation of this is “Strike me up a gum-tree!”
Strills, cheating lies.—North Country Cant.
String, to hoax, to “get in a line.”
Stroke, the captain of a crew, the man who sets the pace, and is generally the leading spirit in the boat. The coxswain usually looks after University men when they are in training, so that they may not fall into excesses, the STROKE having quite enough to do to attend to his own training. Of late years University crews have placed themselves under the guidance and tuition of “coaches,” generally ex-University men of great ability and experience.
Strommel, straw.—Ancient Cant. Halliwell says that in Norfolk STRUMMEL is a name for hair.
Strong, “to come it STRONG.” See [COME].
Stuck, moneyless. See [STICK].