strike a light

strike a light

English

Verb

strike a light (third-person singular simple present strikes a light, present participle striking a light, simple past struck a light, past participle struck a light or (rare) stricken a light)

1. (idiomatic) To create a flame (using a match, flint, etc.).
   • 1681, Nahum Tate, The History of King Lear, London: E. Flesher, Act 3, p. 36,

     Look I have Flint and Steel, the Implements

     Of wandring Lunaticks, I’ll strike a Light,

     And make a Fire beneath this Shed, to dry

     Thy Storm-drencht Garments, e’re thou Lie to rest thee;

   • 1760, Laurence Sterne, “Meditation on Tobacco” in Yorick’s Meditations, London: R. Stevens, p. 22,

     I must quit my subject, though much against my will, for hark, the bell sounds, my candle is burnt out, and I have not so much as a flint to strike a light, so I must go to bed, and there dream or meditate till to-morrow.

   • 1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, Edinburgh: Archibald Constable, 3rd edition, 1821, Volume 2, Chapter 8, pp. 129-130,

     While the one struck a light with a flint and steel, the other disposed the charcoal in the large rusty grate which we have already mentioned, and exercised the bellows until the fuel came to a red glow.

   • 1995, Robert Harris, Enigma, New York: Random House, Chapter 1, section 3, p. 19,

     He took a box of matches from the mantelpiece, struck a light and held it to the gas fire.

Interjection

strike a light

1. (UK, informal, dated) Expressing surprise.

   Cor, strike a light! Did you see him jump into the river?