Strike vs Take their left flank

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Strike

Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb

Take their left flank

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Strike
 StrikeTake their left flank
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/straɪk/","/straɪks/","/strʌk/","/ˈstraɪkɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/straɪk/","/straɪks/","/strʌk/","/ˈstraɪkɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //teɪk ðeə lɛft flæŋk//🇺🇸 //teɪk ðɛr lɛft flæŋk//
Meaningto hit something or to stop working as a protestTo attack or approach from the side on the left.
ExampleThe workers decided to strike for better wages and working conditions.We will take their left flank during the surprise attack.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelB2-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsfirmly, hard, deep, be about to, be going to, be ready to, against, at, on, be struck by lightning, get struck by lightning, be struck down by something, firmly, hard, deep, be about to, be going to, be ready to, against, at, on, be struck by lightning, get struck by lightning, be struck down by something, firmly, hard, deep, be about to, be going to, be ready to, against, at, on, be struck by lightning, get struck by lightning, be struck down by something, immediately, suddenly, just, as, immediately, suddenly, just, as, threaten to, vote to, be set to, against, for, in protest at, the right to strike, firmly, hard, deep, be about to, be going to, be ready to, against, at, on, be struck by lightning, get struck by lightning, be struck down by somethingtake action, take a position, take control
Antonymssurrender, accept-
Common mistakesConfused with 'struck' as past tense, Using 'strike' for non-physical hits like arguments, Saying 'the worker strike' instead of 'the workers' strike'Confused with 'take the left flank' which implies a different grammatical structure., Overusing in non-military contexts where informal language is preferred.
Usage notesUse 'strike' when talking about hitting something or when workers stop working to demand change. It's neutral in tone, fitting for both formal and casual situations. Avoid in overly technical discussions about labor laws.Primarily used in military contexts. Generally appropriate in discussions of tactics or strategy but less common in casual conversation.

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Strike
Take their left flank

Frequently asked questions: Strike vs Take their left flank

What's the difference between Strike and Take their left flank?

Strike: to hit something or to stop working as a protest Take their left flank: To attack or approach from the side on the left.

Which is more common: Strike and Take their left flank?

Strike is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Strike: The workers decided to strike for better wages and working conditions. Take their left flank: We will take their left flank during the surprise attack.

Can I use Strike and Take their left flank interchangeably?

Not always. Strike and Take their left flank are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.