streak

Etymology

From Middle English streke, from Old English strica, from Proto-Germanic *strikiz, from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“line”). Related to North Frisian strijck, Old Saxon striki, Middle Low German streke, Low German streek, Danish streg, Swedish streck, Norwegian Bokmål strek, Icelandic stryk, strykr, Dutch streek, Afrikaans streek, Old High German strih, German Strich, Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌺𐍃 (striks).

noun

1. An irregular line left from smearing or motion.
   'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed. 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients
   The picture I took out the car window had streaks.
2. A continuous series of like events.
   I hope I can keep up this streak of accomplishments.
   I was on a winning streak until the fourth game, when I was dealt terrible cards.
3. A consistent facet of somebody's personality.
   a mean streak
   a stubborn streak
4. The color of the powder of a mineral. So called, because a simple field test for a mineral is to streak it against unglazed white porcelain.
5. A moth of the family Geometridae, Chesias legatella.
   Streak (moth) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
6. A tendency or characteristic, but not a dominant or pervasive one.
   She's a quiet, bookish person, but she has a rebellious streak.
   Rashford showed the fearless streak Southgate so admires with his constant willingness to run at Brazil's defence with pace, even demonstrating on occasion footwork that would not have been out of place from members of England's illustrious opposition. 14 November 2017, Phil McNulty, “England 0-0 Brazil”, in BBC News
   Coinbase’s government work has proved highly controversial to many crypto fans, owing perhaps to the long-running libertarian streak in that community. 29 June 2022, Sam Biddle, “Cryptocurrency Titan Coinbase Providing "Geo Tracking Data" to ICE”, in The Intercept
7. (shipbuilding) A strake.
8. A rung or round of a ladder.
9. The act of streaking, or running naked through a public area.

verb

1. (intransitive) To have or obtain streaks.
   If you clean a window in direct sunlight, it will streak.
2. (intransitive) To run quickly.
3. (intransitive) To run naked in public. (Contrast flash)
   It was a pleasant game until some guy went streaking across the field.
   The fad began with a lone male running naked across the Florida State University campus several weeks ago. Students on other campuses began streaking in pairs, then groups, and were joined by some coeds. 1974 March 4, Hendrick O'Neil, “Streaking runs its course”, in UPIs 20th Century Top Stories (wire feed)
4. (transitive) To create streaks.
   You will streak a window by cleaning it in direct sunlight.
5. (transitive) To move very swiftly.
   But when we streaked through Doncaster at all but a mile-a-minute, with a miraculously clear road, in no more than 37 min. 18 sec. from the York start, I began to sit up and take notice. 1949 November and December, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 365
6. (obsolete, UK, Scotland) To stretch; to extend; hence, to lay out, as a dead body.