Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 5–6, 9 streke, 6 streyk(e, 6–7 streak(e, 7, 9 streek. [? a. ON. striúka to stroke, rub, wipe; but cf. STRAIK v. (Sc.), STRAKE v.3, STRIKE v., STROKE v.]
1. trans. To stroke.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 479/2. Strekyn, as menn do cattys, or hors or howndys, palmito.
1853. W. Anderson, Rhymes (1867), 60 (E.D.D.). Streek my hair.
2. To make level, flat or even; spec. to level (corn, etc.) to the rim of a measure by passing a piece of straight wood over it. Cf. STRAIK v., STRIKE v.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 479/2. Strekyn or make pleyne, complano. Ibid. St(r)ekyn, or streke mesure, as buschellys and oþer lyke, hostio.
1829. Brockett, N. C. Words, Streek, to measure corn exactly. Ibid., Streeked-measure, exact measure—in opposition to heaped measure.
1842. Hartshorne, Salopia Ant., Gloss., Streke, to strike with a streckle.
† 3. To polish or make smooth by rubbing; to iron (clothes). Obs.
1567. Drant, Horace, Ep., Ded. *iij. The verie Crounes and Scepters of best Monarks and princes had bene rustie, wembde, and warpde with obliuion, hadd not they with the goodly eloquence of greate clarkes, and Poettes, ben streked and filed.
1823. E. Moor, Suffolk Words, Streek, to iron clothes.
† 4. ? To sweep; to clean by sweeping, rubbing, or the like. Obs.
1492. Churchw. Acc. St. Mary, Oxon (Wood MS. D. 3 lf. 261). Item for streking of the church 4 times, xvi d. … Item for streyking the roffe of the church, xii d.
1498. Churchw. Acc. Croscombe, etc. (Somerset Rec. Soc.), 66. Item for strekyng the wyndows and wallys, iiiid. Ibid. (1516), 73. Item ffor strekyng off ye chercheerd, iiiid.
† 5. To rub or smear (a surface) with (some soft or liquid substance). Obs.
1545. Raynalde, Byrth Mankynde, II. vi. (1552), 87. In the water of this decoction beyng warme, dyp a spunge,… fomenting, soking, & streking the back with the same.
1561. Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 6. Wyth thys wyne streke the lymmes greued.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., II. i. 257. And with the iuyce of this Ile streake her eyes.
† 6. ? To spread, lay evenly. Obs.
c. 1440[?]. Anc. Cookery, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 471. Then take the same stuff, and streke above the trenchours al hote.
1517. in Archæologia, XLVI. 205. Paid to Alson hog for strekyng of the straw mete & wages, iij d.
† 7. To pass (one’s hand) over a surface. Obs.
1607. Dekker & Wilkins, Jests, 38. Two of them meete him at a corner, and only with streaking of their hands on his hose, gesse whether this bayte be worth the nibling at.
† 8. intr. To rub softly or make strokes with an implement upon (a surface). Obs.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 410. Lay vnto the place a peece of shoomakers waxe made like a flat cake,… and with your iron not made ouer hot, streek softly vpon it too and fro, vntill the said wax be throughly melted into the sore.
Hence Streaking vbl. sb.; pl. the last milk that comes before the cow’s udder is empty.
1658. Gurnall, Chr. in Armour, II. verse 15 xiii. § 1. 424. This was Christs fare-well Sermon, the very streakings of that milk, which he had fed them withall.
1866. Brogden, Prov. Lincs, Strappings, Streakings, Strokings, the last milk given by a cow.
