a long, thin mark or line of a different color or material on a surface
She noticed a bright red streak on the white wall.
Rainwater left dirty streaks across the windshield of the parked car.
✦ Old English strica “line, stroke,” from Proto-Germanic *strik-, related to “strike.”
a series of similar events, usually successes or failures, happening one after another without a break
The basketball team is on a winning streak of eight games.
After three bad tests, Maya broke her losing streak with an A.
✦ Metaphorical extension of the physical sense “continuous line” to a “continuous period.”
a noticeable quality or tendency in someone’s character
Jack has a stubborn streak that makes him refuse help.
Despite her kindness, she shows a competitive streak during board games.
✦ Transferred from “line” to “line of character” in the late 19th century.
to move very quickly in a straight or almost straight line
A shooting star streaked across the sky before we could make a wish.
The cat streaked out of the room when it heard the vacuum cleaner.
✦ From the noun sense “line of light,” extended to fast movement in the 17th century.
to run naked through a public place as a prank or protest
A college student streaked across the football field during halftime.
The pranksters plan to streak through the town square at midnight.
✦ First recorded in 1973 at U.S. universities, probably from the idea of a brief naked flash like a streak of light.
