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"
Synonyms
air
breed
deform
distort
extend
filter
filter out
filtrate
form
line
melodic line
melodic phrase
melody
mental strain
nervous strain
nisus
pains
puree
reach
separate out
sieve
sift
song
stock
straining
stress
strive
striving
tenor
tense
tense up
try
tune
var.
variant
More General Terms
affect
afflict
animal group
apply
attempt
deformation
difficulty
drive
effort
elbow grease
employ
endeavor
endeavour
exertion
form
harm
hurt
injury
labor
labour
meaning
music
nerves
nervousness
push
rub
separate
shape
substance
sweat
taxon
taxonomic category
taxonomic group
tighten
trauma
travail
try
tug
use
utilise
utilize
variety
vocal music
More Specific Terms
bloodstock
bother
carol
cradlesong
drift
extend
extend oneself
fan
fanfare
flourish
glissando
idea
inconvenience oneself
jaundice
jehad
jihad
kill oneself
leitmotif
leitmotiv
lullaby
melodic theme
musical theme
overexert oneself
overextend
overstrain
part
pedigree
purport
rack
resift
rice
riddle
roulade
screen
signature
signature tune
stress
stretch
task
tax
tenseness
tension
theme
theme song
trouble
trouble oneself
tucket
voice
winnow