strike up

Verb

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

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To start something with somebody else, such as a conversation or relationship.
   • To make him feel welcome, she struck up a conversation with the newly arrived guest.
   • He struck up a friendship with Redford that was to last for many years.
2. (ergative, idiomatic, intransitive) To start something, usually playing live music.
   • The band struck up and everyone started to dance.
   • The bride entered the church just as the "Wedding March" struck up.
3. To raise (as sheet metal), in making dishes, pans, etc., by blows or pressure in a die.