strain

/strˈeɪn/

Explore definitions, synonyms, and language insights of strain

Definitions

Noun
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
Noun
difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension; "she endured the stresses and strains of life"; "he presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger"- R.J.Samuelson
Noun
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; "she was humming an air from Beethoven"
Noun
(psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress; "his responsibilities were a constant strain"; "the mental strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for him"
Noun
a special variety of domesticated animals within a species; "he experimented on a particular breed of white rats"; "he created a new strain of sheep"
Noun
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups; "a new strain of microorganisms"
Noun
injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain
Noun
the general meaning or substance of an utterance; "although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument"
Noun
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
Noun
an intense or violent exertion
Noun
the act of singing; "with a shout and a song they marched up to the gates"
Verb
to exert much effort or energy; "straining our ears to hear"
Verb
test the limits of; "You are trying my patience!"
Verb
use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity; "He really extended himself when he climbed Kilimanjaro"; "Don''t strain your mind too much"
Verb
separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements; "sift the flour"
Verb
cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up"
Verb
become stretched or tense or taut; "the bodybuilder''s neck muscles tensed;" "the rope strained when the weight was attached"
Verb
remove by passing through a filter; "filter out the impurities"
Verb
rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender; "puree the vegetables for the baby"
Verb
alter the shape of (something) by stress; "His body was deformed by leprosy"