1 a : to remove your clothing [no obj] ▪ I stripped for bed. ▪ He stripped to the waist. [=he took off all the clothes on his upper body] ▪ The prisoners were told to strip naked. [=remove all their clothes] — often + down ▪ He stripped down to his underwear. [=he took all his clothes off except for his underwear] [+ obj] ▪ He stripped himself down to his underwear.
b [+ obj] : to take the clothes off (someone)
▪ The prisoners were stripped naked.
c [no obj] : to remove your clothing in a sexually exciting way while someone is watching
▪ She gets paid to dance and strip at the club. 2 [+ obj] : to remove an outer covering or surface from something
▪ strip the bark from a tree = strip a tree of its bark ▪ We are going to strip [=remove] the old wallpaper. ▪ They stripped the table and refinished it. ▪ Please strip your bed [=remove all the sheets] so I can wash the sheets. 3 [+ obj] : to remove everything (such as furniture or equipment) from (a room, building, car, etc.)
▪ They stripped the room when they left. ▪ The building had been completely stripped of its original woodwork. 4 [+ obj] : to separate (a machine or piece of equipment) into parts for cleaning or repair
▪ strip a rifle — often + down ▪ They stripped down the engine. 5 [+ obj] : to take (something) away from someone in a forceful way — + of ▪ They stripped the slaves of their dignity. — often + away ▪ Their rights were stripped away. — often used as (be) stripped ▪ The pageant winner was stripped of her crown/title after the scandal. [=she was forced to give up her crown/title after the scandal] 6 [+ obj] : to damage part of a screw or gear so that it does not work properly
▪ Pushing too hard will strip the screw.