society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > propel boat by oars, paddle, or pole [verb (transitive)] > row (a boat) > make a stroke (9)
to take an oar: to begin to row.
To make a stroke with one's oar. †Also transitive.
transitive. To use (an oar) while rowing; to make (a stroke), esp. of a specified sort.
transitive. To make (a particular stroke) in sculling.