to strike up
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To begin, start operations; as to strike up an acquaintance, to set it going. Originally of an orchestra or company of singers, who "struck up" the music.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to strike up” mean?
To begin, start operations; as to strike up an acquaintance, to set it going. Originally of an orchestra or company of singers, who "struck up" the music.
Is “to strike up” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.