Definitions for strainstreɪn

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

strainstreɪn(v.t.)

to draw tight; make taut:
to strain a rope.
to exert to the utmost:
to strain one's reach.
to injure (a muscle, tendon, etc.) by stretching or overexertion.
to cause mechanical deformation in by stress.
to stretch beyond the proper limit:
to strain the meaning of a word.
to make excessive demands upon:
to strain one's resources.
to cause to pass through a strainer.
to draw off by means of a strainer:
to strain the water from spinach.
(v.i.)to pull forcibly:
a dog straining at a leash.
to make strenuous efforts; exert oneself.
to resist forcefully; balk.
to undergo strain.
to filter, percolate, or ooze.
(n.)any force or pressure tending to alter shape, cause a fracture, etc.
strong muscular or physical effort.
great effort in pursuit of a goal.
an injury to a muscle, tendon, etc., due to excessive tension or use; sprain.
deformation of a solid body or structure in response to application of a force.
Category: Mechanics, Physics
condition of being strained or stretched.
severe or fatiguing pressure:
the strain of hard work.

Origin of strain:

1250–1300; ME streinen (v.) < OF estrein-, s. of estreindre to press tightly, grip < L stringere to bind, tie

strainstreɪn(n.)

the body of descendants of a common ancestor, as a family or stock.
Category: Genetics
any of the different lines of ancestry united in a family or an individual.
Category: Genetics
an artificial variety of a species of domestic animal or cultivated plant.
Category: Genetics, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Botany
a variety, esp. of microorganisms.
Category: Microbiology
ancestry or descent.
Category: Genetics
hereditary or natural character, tendency, or trait:
a strain of insanity in a family.
Category: Medicine
a streak or trace.
a kind or sort.

Origin of strain:

bef. 950; ME strene, OE gestrēon presumably, begetting, generation, c. OS, OHG gistriuni

strainstreɪn(n.)

a flow or burst of language, eloquence, etc.:
the lofty strain of Cicero.
a melody; tune.
Category: Music and Dance
a passage or piece of poetry.
Category: Prosody
a pervading style; spirit:
a humorous strain.
Category: Literature

Origin of strain:

1555–65; cf. obs. strain to play (an instrument), use (one's voice) in singing

Princeton's WordNet

strain(noun)
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
stress, strain(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
tune, melody, air, strain, melodic line, line, melodic phrase(noun)
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
"she was humming an air from Beethoven"
strain, mental strain, nervous strain(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"
breed, strain, stock(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"
form, variant, strain, var.(noun)
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups
"a new strain of microorganisms"
strain(noun)
injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain
tenor, strain(noun)
the general meaning or substance of an utterance
"although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument"
striving, nisus, pains, strain(noun)
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
strain, straining(noun)
an intense or violent exertion
song, strain(verb)
the act of singing
"with a shout and a song they marched up to the gates"
strive, reach, strain(verb)
to exert much effort or energy
"straining our ears to hear"
try, strain, stress(verb)
test the limits of
"You are trying my patience!"
strain, extend(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"
sift, sieve, strain(verb)
separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements
"sift the flour"
tense, strain, tense up(verb)
cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious
"he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up"
strain, tense(verb)
become stretched or tense or taut
"the bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed;" "the rope strained when the weight was attached"
filter, filtrate, strain, separate out, filter out(verb)
remove by passing through a filter
"filter out the impurities"
puree, strain(verb)
rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender
"puree the vegetables for the baby"
deform, distort, strain(verb)
alter the shape of (something) by stress
"His body was deformed by leprosy"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

strain(noun)ɪn
stress or problems caused by too much work or worry
the strain of working two jobs to feed her family; soldiers under strain; High demand puts a strain on the electricity supply.
strainɪn
a painful muscle that has been pulled or twisted
a shoulder strain
strainɪn
physical stress or injury
the strain on your eyes from staring at a computer
strainɪn
in science, a type of sth
A new strain of the fungus is affecting crops.
strain(verb)ɪn
to twist or pull a muscle
I strained my wrist.
strainɪn
to make sb or sth have stress or problems
My father's illness strained relationships within the family.; expensive medical bills that strain the finances
strainɪn
to use a lot of physical effort to do sth
He strained to reach the rope as it slid away.
strainɪn
to separate the solid pieces from a liquid
Strain the lumps from the sauce.

Webster Dictionary

Strain(noun)
race; stock; generation; descent; family
Strain(noun)
hereditary character, quality, or disposition
Strain(noun)
rank; a sort
Strain(adj)
to draw with force; to extend with great effort; to stretch; as, to strain a rope; to strain the shrouds of a ship; to strain the cords of a musical instrument
Strain(adj)
to act upon, in any way, so as to cause change of form or volume, as forces on a beam to bend it
Strain(adj)
to exert to the utmost; to ply vigorously
Strain(adj)
to stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in the matter of intent or meaning; as, to strain the law in order to convict an accused person
Strain(adj)
to injure by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force; as, the gale strained the timbers of the ship
Strain(adj)
to injure in the muscles or joints by causing to make too strong an effort; to harm by overexertion; to sprain; as, to strain a horse by overloading; to strain the wrist; to strain a muscle
Strain(adj)
to squeeze; to press closely
Strain(adj)
to make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain
Strain(adj)
to urge with importunity; to press; as, to strain a petition or invitation
Strain(adj)
to press, or cause to pass, through a strainer, as through a screen, a cloth, or some porous substance; to purify, or separate from extraneous or solid matter, by filtration; to filter; as, to strain milk through cloth
Strain(verb)
to make violent efforts
Strain(verb)
to percolate; to be filtered; as, water straining through a sandy soil
Strain(noun)
the act of straining, or the state of being strained
Strain(noun)
a violent effort; an excessive and hurtful exertion or tension, as of the muscles; as, he lifted the weight with a strain; the strain upon a ship's rigging in a gale; also, the hurt or injury resulting; a sprain
Strain(noun)
a change of form or dimensions of a solid or liquid mass, produced by a stress
Strain(noun)
a portion of music divided off by a double bar; a complete musical period or sentence; a movement, or any rounded subdivision of a movement
Strain(noun)
any sustained note or movement; a song; a distinct portion of an ode or other poem; also, the pervading note, or burden, of a song, poem, oration, book, etc.; theme; motive; manner; style; also, a course of action or conduct; as, he spoke in a noble strain; there was a strain of woe in his story; a strain of trickery appears in his career
Strain(noun)
turn; tendency; inborn disposition. Cf. 1st Strain

The Standard Electrical Dictionary

Strain
The condition of a body when subjected to a stress. Various consequences may ensue from strain in the way of disturbance of electric and other qualities of the body strained.