strike back

strike back

To retaliate; to return or counter an attack. They were down for most of the game, but they struck back in the fourth quarter with an amazing effort. The government vowed to strike back following the attack on its military outpost.
See also: back, strike
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

strike back (at someone or something)

to return the blows of someone or something; to return the attack of someone or something. The victim struck back at the mugger and scared him away. The victim struck back in the courts.
See also: back, strike
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

strike back

v.
To deliver a return attack; counterattack: The rebels struck back at the government forces.
See also: back, strike
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • don't that beat the Dutch!
  • lash back
  • lash back (at someone or something)
  • pay something back/return something with interest
  • return it with interest
  • pay (one) back with interest
  • (one) (has) never heard (of) such a thing
  • never heard of such a thing!
  • let pass
  • let something pass
References in periodicals archive
Strike Back has won two out of the six accolades it was nominated for, the first series in 2010 for the National Television Awards in Best Digital Choice and the UK Screen Association Conch Award for Best Audio on TV Drama of the Year in 2012.
Katherine in Strike Back and, far right, as barmaid Becky in Coronation Street
"With your clothes on you can get away with it, but there are certain things that are just never going to go back "So if they had wanted a Page 3-looking Strike Back girl, then I knew they weren't going to hire me.
Filming of Strike Back had to be halted for six months while Sullivan Stapleton recovered from a nasty head injury.
He joins series four of Strike Back as Lt Col Philip Locke, the boss of Section 20 (the secretive branch of MI6) and it didn't take long for him to realise that playing such a respected role has its advantages.
DAMASCUS (TAP) - Syrian has vowed to "strike back with an iron fist" after the reporteddeath ofdozens of peopleina blast in the capital, Damascus.
Frustrated and angry, people began to strike back by organizing rallies, pushing for laws, and inciting strikes.
Vettriano piece of his Irish Mistresses, is former Fife out of an which sold for Being the kind of show it is, Strike Back contains strong scenes, not least when Orla's character is threatened with execution by extremists.
"The plan gave Israel a buffer zone for military maneuvers and increased our ability to strike back on rocket-launches from Hamas," she said, adding that freezing settlements in the Gaza Strip was a correct decision to make for security reasons.
Pakistan should strike back at "terrorism" or it will see more attacks like the one that killed ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, US Homeland Security head Michael Chertoff has said.A Extremists in Pakistan are a threat to that country as well as Afghanistan, he said when asked about Islamabad's peace talks with pro-Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked rebels which have raised concern in NATO.
Department of Education documents revealed that the program, called "Project Strike Back," was a joint project between the department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Even though it's tempting to strike back by "slipping" about the heavy-duty headgear your sister has to wear to bed at night, revenge definitely is not the answer.
STRIKE BACK looks the star bet to land his first win over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms Novices Chase at Cork today.
THE BRIEFS STRIKE BACK with their third record, and it's much closer to their first: catchy, poppy, bubblegum-'77 pogo punk.
This particular night the Stonewall Inn was raided--then a common occurrence for gay bars--it was the sight of a handcuffed lesbian being beaten by police that "set the whole crowd wild--berserk." Carter takes the reader on a breathtaking ride, detailing how rioters tried to strike back at police officers who had barricaded themselves in the bar.