Strike a Deal

0 Think of striking/hitting a target. 02br
00 Or of having a handshake with the other person. 0-

0Hi Hiro,02br
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01font00Could someone please explain how come "to strike" as in "strike a deal" comes to mean "to agree to" based on its basic meaning of hitting something? Does this "to strike" relate to "to stamp (to hit) a seal on"?02font02br
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00I'd say it's more likely to refer to shaking (ie touching) hands

0Uh-ha! Then it closely relates to "strike hands on something," doesn't it? You strike hands --- it's not just to hold somebody else's hand but you thrust your hand, touch his hand with it so hard you almost hit it, and shake his, right?02br
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00Best,02br
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00Hiro0-

0 The expression you hear is01b00 shake hands.02b0-

0Hi.02br
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00I was just referring to the usage below. It wouldn't be used much, then?02br
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01a05000 02a02br
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01b00strike hands, 02b00to conclude a bargain, as by shaking or joining hands; confirm an agreement: 01i00They reache

0Hi Hiro,02br
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00I don't recall ever hearing that expression. It sounds archaic to me.02br
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00Clive0-

0 01blockquote

01cite10Clive12cite12br
10I'd say it's more likely to refer to shaking (ie touching) hands after arriving at an agreement. The origin is from the Latin 11i10stringere - to touch.12i11blockquote

11cite20Marius Hancu22cite20Think of having a handshake with the other per

*71*0 01p

00Hi Hiro,02p

01p

00I think you are trying too hard to find significance in the word 'strike'. 'To strike a deal' is just a standard phrase that has evolved.02p

01p

00I interpret striking in 'strike a deal' as referring more to decisiveness and finality than to actual hitting.02p

01p

00You might like to also consider a phrase

0Would you then take "strike a deal" as meaning an immediate decision --- a BIG YES to the agreement, as if to jump favorably at the agreement document to sign it?02br
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00Best,02br
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00Hiro0-

0Hi,02br
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00Yes, to some extent. One minute you don't have a finalized deal, the next minute you do.02br
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00Best wishes, Clive0-