strike in

Verb

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

1. To enter suddenly or with force.
   • But when that Act is over, all is not done; for, that it may have the better Success, the Husband must not presently separate himself from his Wife’s Embraces, lest the Air should suddenly strike in, and so prevent the Issue of their Labours.1694, anonymous author, chapter 37, in Aristotle’s Master-piece: or the Secrets of Generation Display’d in All the Parts Thereof, London: W.B, page 177
   • As sleep is broken, when upon a sudden
     New light strikes in upon the eyelids closed,1867, Dante Alighieri, “The Divine Comedy”, in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, transl., Purgatorio, volume 2, Boston: Ticknor and Fields, Canto 17, lines 40-41, p. 106
2. To enter or add to a conversation; to say (something) by way of interruption or addition to a conversation.
   • There did this our Talatamtana or Doctour Hum, thrust himselfe into the thickest rankes of the Noblemen and Gallants, and whatsoeuer they were arguing of, he would not misse to catch hold of, or strike in at the one end, and take the theame out of their mouths,1596, Thomas Nashe, Have with You to Saffron-Walden, London: John Danter
   • It is not civil when a Person of Quality hesitates or stops in his discourse, for you to strike in, though with pretence of helping his memory;1694, N. H., The Ladies Dictionary, London: John Dunton, page 314

   Synonyms:

   break in, interpose

3. (obsolete) To take action; to become involved in a situation, so as to alter or prevent an action.
   • There is an inuisible hand of omnipotency that strikes in for his owne, and confounds their opposites.1626, Joseph Hall, Contemplations upon the Historicall Part of the Old Testament, volume 8, London: Nath. Butter, page 536
   • […] thus much of the first and grand change, to wit, in doctrine, which our Prelates, especially of late dayes have beene a hammering, and now almost (except the Lord Christ strike in, and prevent them) brought to perfection.1636, Henry Burton, For God and King, Amsterdam: J.F. Stam, page 127

   Synonyms:

   intervene, step in

4. (obsolete) To ally oneself (with someone), to take (someone's) side.
   • […] his Debauch’d Son, kind in his Nature to his Wench, but miserably in want of Money; a Servant or Slave, who has so much wit to strike in with him, and help to dupe his Father,1668, John Dryden, Of Dramatick Poesie, London: Henry Herringman, page 18
   • To make himself more considerable, he struck in with the Jewish Converts, and made a bustle in that great controversie at Jerusalem, about Circumcision and the observation of the Law of Moses.1675, Jeremy Taylor, “The Life of S. John”, in Antiquitates Christianæ, London: R. Royston, page 119

   Synonyms:

   join, side

5. (obsolete) To be or act in harmony (with something).
   • Endeavour, as well as you can, to discover the particular temper and disposition of Children, that you may suit and apply your selves to it, and by striking in with Nature may steer and govern them in the sweetest and easiest way.1694, John Tillotson, Six Sermons, London: B. Aylmer and W. Rogers, Sermon 2, p. 118
   • […] whatever strikes in with the natural propensities, and either externally forwards their satisfaction, or internally concurs with their movements, is sure to give a sensible pleasure.1739, David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature, London: John Noon, Volume 1, Part 4, Section 2, p. 359

   Synonyms:

   accord, agree, conform