streak

plural streaks

1. An irregular line, as is left from smearing or motion.

   The picture I took out the car window had streaks.

   1 more example

   'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.

   1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

   1. A band, line or stripe.

      A streak of light on the horizon.

2. A continuous series of like events.

   I hope I can keep up this streak of accomplishments.

   1 more example

   I was on a winning streak until the fourth game, when I was dealt terrible cards.

   Synonyms: chain, string

   1. Internetsocial mediaA measure of activity that tracks how many consecutive days a certain interaction with another user or a service has taken place, a form of gamification to drive user engagement.

      Out went conversation in favour of fast and more immediate pleasures. We migrated on to texts, voice notes, emojis and the Snapchat “streak”.

      2025 May 31, Jo Ellison, “The beguiling charm of a bedtime phone call”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 20

      Synonyms: chain, string

   2. figurativelyA consistent facet of somebody's personality.

      a mean streak

      2 more examples

      a stubborn streak

      But speaking of cats, there's a good deal to be learned about women from them, 'Orace. […] I've known very few who wouldn't admit, between ourselves, that most others had a fair streak of the feline.

      1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London

      Synonyms: chain, string

   3. A tendency or characteristic, but not a dominant or pervasive one.

      She's a quiet, bookish person, but she has a rebellious streak.

      2 more examples

      Rashford showed the fearless streak Southgate so admires with his constant willingness to run at Brazil's defence with pace, even demonstrating on occasion footwork that would not have been out of place from members of England's illustrious opposition.

      2017 November 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-0 Brazil”, in BBC News

      Coinbase’s government work has proved highly controversial to many crypto fans, owing perhaps to the long-running libertarian streak in that community.

      2022 June 29, Sam Biddle, “Cryptocurrency Titan Coinbase Providing "Geo Tracking Data" to ICE”, in The Intercept

      Synonyms: chain, string

3. geographyThe color of the powder of a mineral, so called, because a simple field test for a mineral is to streak it against unglazed white porcelain.
4. biologyA moth of the family Geometridae, Chesias legatella.

   Streak (moth) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

5. businessA strake.
6. A rung or round of a ladder.
7. The act of streaking, or running naked through a public area.
8. collectiveA group of tigers.

   Busch Gardens Tampa Bay recently welcomed a new addition to its streak of tigers

   2023 January 27, Chelsea Tatham Zukowski, “Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomes new Sumatran tiger”, in Attractions Magazine

   1 more example

   The detection of Feline Panleukopenia (FLP) infection in a streak of tigers rescued in Karnataka has raised concerns among forest officials and veterinarians across the country.

   2025 December 27, Bosky Khanna, “FLP infection in rescued tigress, cubs raises concern in Karnataka”, in New Indian Express

   Synonyms: ambush

present singular third person streaks · participle present streaking · participle past streaked · past streaked

1. intransitiveTo have or obtain streaks.

   If you clean a window in direct sunlight, it will streak.

2. intransitiveTo run quickly.

   "As it was I came a hell of a crack against a Dam' rustic arbour in the garden. Dam' near stunned me. But I never stopped a second. Up and over the back fence and streaked for the common."

   1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 82

3. intransitiveTo run naked in public.

   It was a pleasant game until some guy went streaking across the field.

   1 more example

   The fad began with a lone male running naked across the Florida State University campus several weeks ago. Students on other campuses began streaking in pairs, then groups, and were joined by some coeds.

   1974 March 4, Hendrick O'Neil, “Streaking runs its course”, in UPIs 20th Century Top Stories (wire feed)

4. intransitiveTo move very swiftly.

   But when we streaked through Doncaster at all but a mile-a-minute, with a miraculously clear road, in no more than 37 min. 18 sec. from the York start, I began to sit up and take notice.

   1949 November and December, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 365

5. transitiveTo create streaks upon.

   You will streak a window by cleaning it in direct sunlight.

   2 more examples

   Though his entire back down to his side fins is of a deep sable, yet a boundary line, distinct as the mark in a ship’s hull, called the “bright waist,” that line streaks him from stem to stern, with two separate colours, black above and white below.

   1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 32, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 157

   Wispy high clouds also streak Neptune's upper atmosphere.

   1990 August, Rick Gore, “Neptune: Voyager's Last Picture Show”, in National Geographic, volume 178, number 2, page 35

   Synonyms: vein

6. ScotlandUKobsoleteTo stretch; to extend; hence, to lay out, as a dead body.