strike out

strike out idiom
  1. Cancel or erase, as in Strike out that last sentence, please. [Early 1500s]
  2. Begin a course of action, set out energetically, as in Elaine was determined to strike out on her own. [Early 1700s]
  3. Fail in an endeavor, as in His latest business venture has struck out. This usage originated in baseball, where it refers to a batter's failure to put the ball in play (Williams struck out three times in yesterday's game), as well as to a pitcher's success in eliminating a batter (Clemens struck him out again in the fourth inning). [Late 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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"K" for strike out - why?86 years ago

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