straɪk aʊt
Sports
informal
beginner
- Literally:
- a baseball batter getting three strikes and being called out
What does "strike out" mean?
to fail in an attempt
Examples
- I asked three different stores and struck out every time.
- He struck out on his job interview when he couldn't answer the technical questions.
- We struck out trying to find tickets to the concert.
Origin
From baseball. Figurative use dates to the early 20th century.
How to use it
Used casually to describe failure.
Similar expressions
fail
come up empty
fall short
Opposites
hit a home run
succeed
score
Related idioms
- no pain no gain
Success requires hard work and sacrifice
- ball is in your court
It's your turn to take action or make a decision
- like riding a bicycle
A skill that, once learned, is never forgotten
- drop the ball
To fail to do something important; to make a mistake
- level playing field
A situation where everyone has an equal opportunity
- on the ball
Alert and competent
Use it in a practice answer
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