Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a slash with a knife or an open razor; thus the scar that follows.

1955		B. Hill Boss of Britain’s Underworld 95: Emmett’s head was bashed in and he was given a few stripes with the chiv for luck.
1958		F. Norman Bang To Rights 68: Down the left hand side of my boat I’ve got a stripe which I collected one dark night.
1960		F. Norman in Daily Mail 18 May in Norman’s London (1969) 94: The tearaway will give him a little persuasion which might take the shape of a stripe across the boat with a razor.
1989		in G. Tremlett Little Legs 197: stripe a razor slash, usually to the face.
2005		B. Hare Urban Grimshaw 90: A stripe is a phenomenon of the British penal system.

2. a police patrol car, carrying some form of fluorescent stripe on its sides.

1995

J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 7: There were stripes rolling up in all directions, Bill coming in from home.

3. (W.I.) abbr. Red Stripe beer brand.

2006

R. Antoni Carnival 38: ‘Stripe?’ he asked.