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1. Dictionary

   strain

   /streɪn/

   verb

   • 1. force (a part of one's body or oneself) to make an unusually great effort: "I stopped and listened, straining my ears for any sound"
   • ▪ make an unusually great effort: "his voice was so quiet that I had to strain to hear it" Similar strugglelabourtoilmake a supreme effortmake every effortspare no effortstrain every nervetry very hardstrivebreak one's backpush/drive oneself to the limitdo one's bestinformal:pull out all the stopsgo all outgive it one's allbend/lean over backwardsgive it one's best shotbust a gutbreak one's neckdo one's damnedestkill oneselfgo for the doctor
   • ▪ injure (a limb, muscle, or organ) by overexerting it: "on cold days you are more likely to strain a muscle" Similar injurehurtdamageimpairpullwrenchteartwistsprainrickcrick
   • ▪ make severe or excessive demands on: "he strained her tolerance to the limit" Similar overtaxoverworkoverburdenoverextendoverreachovertaskmake too many demands onrun/work oneself into the groundexert excessivelydrive too farexert to the limitpush to the limitexhaustwear outfatiguetiretaxoverdo itwork too hardinformal:knackerknock oneself out
   • ▪ pull or push forcibly at something: "the bear strained at the chain around its neck" Similar pulltugheavehauljerkpushinformal:yank
   • ▪ stretch (something) tightly: "the barbed wire fence was strained to posts six feet high"
   • ▪ embrace (someone) tightly: archaic "she strained the infant to her bosom again"
   • 2. pour (a mainly liquid substance) through a porous or perforated device or material in order to separate out any solid matter: "strain the custard into a bowl"
   • ▪ cause liquid to drain off (food which has been boiled, soaked, or canned) by using a porous or perforated device: "she turned to the sink to strain the noodles" Similar sievesiftfilterscreenriddleseparatepercolateleachrare:filtrategriddle
   • ▪ drain (liquid) off food by using a porous or perforated device: "strain off the surplus fat" Similar sievesiftfilterscreenriddleseparatepercolateleachrare:filtrategriddle

   noun

   • 1. a force tending to pull or stretch something to an extreme or damaging degree: "the usual type of chair puts an enormous strain on the spine" Similar tensiontightnesstautnesssheardistensionrare:tensity
   • ▪ an injury to a part of the body caused by overexertion: "he has a slight groin strain" Similar injurysprainwrenchtwistrick
   • ▪ the magnitude of a deformation, equal to the change in the dimension of a deformed object divided by its original dimension.
   • 2. a severe or excessive demand on the strength, resources, or abilities of someone or something: "the accusations put a strain on relations between the two countries" Similar pressuredemandsburdensexertionsstresstensioninformal:hassle
   • ▪ a state of tension or exhaustion resulting from severe demands on one's strength or resources: "the telltale signs of nervous strain" Similar stresstensionnervous tensionanxietyexhaustionfatiguetirednesswearinesspressure of workoverworkduressOpposite relaxation
   • 3. the sound of a piece of music: "the distant strains of the brass band grew louder" Similar soundmusicmelodytuneairsong

   Word Origin Middle English (as a verb): from Old French estreindre, from Latin stringere ‘draw tight’. Current senses of the noun arose in the mid 16th century.

   Derivatives

   • 1. strainable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • S

     1

   • T

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   • R

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   • A

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   • I

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   • N

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   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishSTRAIN | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   STRAIN definition: 1. a force or influence that stretches, pulls, or puts pressure on something, sometimes causing…. Learn more.

3. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishSTRAIN definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   To strain is to stretch tightly, make taut, wrench, tear, cause injury to, by long-continued or sudden and too violent effort or movement: to strain one's heart by overexertion, one's eyes by reading small print.

4. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › strainStrain Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › strain

   • Cached

   1. a. : lineage, ancestry. b. : a group of presumed common ancestry with clear-cut physiological but usually not morphological distinctions. a high-yielding strain of winter wheat. broadly : a specified infraspecific group (such as a stock, line, or ecotype) c. : kind, sort. discussions of a lofty strain. 2. a.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › StrainSTRAIN Definition & Meaning - Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › Strain

   • Cached

   Strain definition: to draw tight or taut, especially to the utmost tension; stretch to the full. See examples of STRAIN used in a sentence.

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › strainSTRAIN | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › english › strain

   • Cached

   STRAIN meaning: 1. a force or influence that stretches, pulls, or puts pressure on something, sometimes causing…. Learn more.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › strainSTRAIN | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › strain

   • Cached

   a feeling of being worried and nervous about something: The strain of the last few months had exhausted her. put a strain on sb/sth. to cause problems for someone or to make a situation difficult: Children put tremendous strains on a marriage.

8. www.thefreedictionary.com › strainStrain - definition of strain by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › strain

   • Cached

   a. Extreme or laborious effort, exertion, or work: moved the sofa with little strain. b. A great or excessive demand or stress on one's body, mind, or resources: the strain of managing both a family and a career. c. The state of being subjected to such demands or stresses: trying to work under great strain. 3.