Strike
Strike turns up in 2 fields: lighting, building. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Strike in lighting
To start the arc in a discharge lamp; restrike is relighting it after it has gone out.
Discharge lamps need a high-voltage pulse to strike the arc, after which they warm up over several minutes to full output and color. A hot HID lamp that loses power cannot restrike until it cools enough for the pressure to drop, typically 5 to 15 minutes, unless it has a special instant-restrike igniter. In theaters, strike also means to dismantle and remove a set or rig after the run.
"Arena lamps take ten minutes to strike and come up to color, so turn them on before the doors, not at the national anthem."
Strike in building
To shape and finish a wet mortar joint flush with or slightly recessed from the masonry face.
To cut away excess mortar extruded from a freshly laid joint and tool the remaining mud into a specific profile. Masons strike joints using a trowel or a specialized jointer tool to compress the mortar, seal the wall against water intrusion, and create a clean, uniform shadow line.
"Don't let that mud set up too hard before you strike the joints, or you'll burn through your jointer trying to slick it."