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strain

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strain

1  [streyn] ,
Use strain in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to draw tight or taut, esp. to the utmost tension; stretch to the full: to strain a rope.
2. to exert to the utmost: to strain one's ears to catch a sound.
3. to impair, injure, or weaken (a muscle, tendon, etc.) by stretching or overexertion.
4. to cause mechanical deformation in (a body or structure) as the result of stress.
5. to stretch beyond the proper point or limit: to strain the meaning of a word.
6. to make excessive demands upon: to strain one's luck; to strain one's resources.
7. to pour (liquid containing solid matter) through a filter, sieve, or the like in order to hold back the denser solid constituents: to strain gravy.
8. to draw off (clear or pure liquid) by means of a filter or sieve: to strain the water from spinach; to strain broth.
9. to hold back (solid particles) from liquid matter by means of a filter or sieve: to strain seeds from orange juice; to strain rice.
10. to clasp tightly in the arms, the hand, etc.: The mother strained her child close to her breast.
11. Obsolete. to constrain, as to a course of action.
–verb (used without object)
12. to pull forcibly: a dog straining at a leash.
13. to stretch one's muscles, nerves, etc., to the utmost.
14. to make violent physical efforts; strive hard.
15. to resist forcefully; balk: to strain at accepting an unpleasant fact.
16. to be subjected to tension or stress; suffer strain.
17. to filter, percolate, or ooze.
18. to trickle or flow: Sap strained from the bark.
–noun
19. any force or pressure tending to alter shape, cause a fracture, etc.
20. strong muscular or physical effort.
21. great or excessive effort or striving after some goal, object, or effect.
22. an injury to a muscle, tendon, etc., due to excessive tension or use; sprain.
23. Mechanics, Physics. deformation of a body or structure as a result of an applied force.
24. condition of being strained or stretched.
25. a task, goal, or effect accomplished only with great effort: Housecleaning is a real strain.
26. severe, trying, or fatiguing pressure or exertion; taxing onus: the strain of hard work.
27. a severe demand on or test of resources, feelings, a person, etc.: a strain on one's hospitality.
28. a flow or burst of language, eloquence, etc.: the lofty strain of Cicero.
29. Often, strains. a passage of melody, music, or songs as rendered or heard: the strains of the nightingale.
30. Music. a section of a piece of music, more or less complete in itself.
31. a passage or piece of poetry.
32. the tone, style, or spirit of an utterance, writing, etc.: a humorous strain.
33. a particular degree, height, or pitch attained: a strain of courageous enthusiasm.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME streinen (v.) < OF estrein-, s. of estreindre to press tightly, grip < L stringere to bind, tie, draw tight. See stringent

Related forms:
strain⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
strainless, adjective
strain⋅less⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. tighten. 3. Strain, sprain imply a wrenching, twisting, and stretching of muscles and tendons. 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. To sprain is to strain excessively (but without dislocation) by a sudden twist or wrench, the tendons and muscles connected with a joint, esp. those of the ankle or wrist: to sprain an ankle. 7. filter, sieve. 10. hug, embrace, press. 17. seep. 20. exertion. 22. wrench.
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strain

2  [streyn] ,
–noun
1. the body of descendants of a common ancestor, as a family or stock.
2. any of the different lines of ancestry united in a family or an individual.
3. a group of plants distinguished from other plants of the variety to which it belongs by some intrinsic quality, such as a tendency to yield heavily; race.
4. an artificial variety of a species of domestic animal or cultivated plant.
5. a variety, esp. of microorganisms.
6. ancestry or descent.
7. hereditary or natural character, tendency, or trait: a strain of insanity in a family.
8. a streak or trace.
9. a kind or sort.
10. Obsolete. procreation.
Origin:
bef. 950; ME strene, OE strēon lineage, race, stock, tribe; akin to strīenan to beget

Synonyms:
7. streak, vein, predisposition.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To strain
strain 1   (strān)   
v.   strained, strain·ing, strains

v.   tr.

  1. To pull, draw, or stretch tight: strained the sheets over the bed.

  2. To exert or tax to the utmost: straining our ears to hear.

  3. To injure or impair by overuse or overexertion; wrench: strain a muscle.

  4. To stretch or force beyond the proper or legitimate limit: strain a point.

  5. Physics To alter (the relations between the parts of a structure or shape) by applying an external force; deform.

    1. To pass (gravy, for example) through a filtering agent such as a strainer.

    2. To draw off or remove by filtration: strained the pulp from the juice.

  7. To embrace or clasp tightly; hug.

v.   intr.

  1. To make violent or steady efforts; strive hard: straining to reach the finish line.

  2. To be or become wrenched or twisted.

  3. To be subjected to great stress.

  4. To pull forcibly or violently: The dog strained at its leash.

  5. To stretch or exert one's muscles or nerves to the utmost.

  6. To filter, trickle, or ooze.

  7. To be extremely hesitant; balk: a mule that strained at the lead.

n.  

    1. The act of straining.

    2. The state of being strained.

    3. Extreme or laborious effort, exertion, or work.

    4. A great or excessive pressure, demand, or stress on one's body, mind, or resources: the strain of managing both a family and a career.

    1. Extreme or laborious effort, exertion, or work.

    2. A great or excessive pressure, demand, or stress on one's body, mind, or resources: the strain of managing both a family and a career.

  3. A wrench, twist, or other physical injury resulting from excessive tension, effort, or use.

  4. Physics A deformation produced by stress.

  5. An exceptional degree or pitch: a strain of zealous idealism.


[Middle English streinen, from Old French estreindre, estrein-, to bind tightly, from Latin stringere; see streig- in Indo-European roots.]
strain 2   (strān)   
n.  

  1. The collective descendants of a common ancestor; a race, stock, line, or breed.

  2. Any of the various lines of ancestry united in an individual or a family; ancestry or lineage.

  3. Biology A group of organisms of the same species, having distinctive characteristics but not usually considered a separate breed or variety: a superior strain of wheat; a smooth strain of bacteria.

  4. An artificial variety of a domestic animal or cultivated plant.

  5. A kind or sort: imaginings of a morbid strain.

    1. An inborn or inherited tendency or character.

    2. An inherent quality; a streak. See Synonyms at streak.

    3. The tone, tenor, or substance of a verbal utterance or of a particular action or behavior: spoke in a passionate strain.

    4. A prevailing quality, as of attitude or behavior.

    5. A passage of poetic and especially lyrical expression.

    6. An outburst or a flow of eloquent or impassioned language.

    1. The tone, tenor, or substance of a verbal utterance or of a particular action or behavior: spoke in a passionate strain.

    2. A prevailing quality, as of attitude or behavior.

    3. A passage of poetic and especially lyrical expression.

    4. An outburst or a flow of eloquent or impassioned language.

  8. Music A passage of expression; a tune or an air. Often use in the plural: melodic strains of the violin.

    1. A passage of poetic and especially lyrical expression.

    2. An outburst or a flow of eloquent or impassioned language.


[Middle English strene, from Old English strēon, something gained, progeny; see ster-2 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

strain  (v.)
"to stretch, draw tight," c.1300, from prp. stem of O.Fr. estreindre "bind tightly, clasp, squeeze," from L. stringere (2) "bind or draw tight," from PIE base *strenk- "tight, narrow; pull tight, twist" (cf. Lith. stregti "congeal;" Gk. strangein "twist;" O.H.G. strician "mends nets;" O.E. streccian "to stretch," streng "string;" Ger. stramm, Du. stram "stiff"). Sense of "press through a filter" is from 1326 (implied in strainer); that of "lay undue stress on, make a forced interpretation of" is from 1449. Noun sense of "injury caused by straining" is from 1558. The meaning "passage of music" (1575) probably developed from a verb meaning "to tighten" the voice, originally the strings of a musical instrument (1387).

strain  (n.)
"line of descent," O.E. strion, streon "gain, begetting," from P.Gmc. *streun- "to pile up," from PIE base *stere- "to spread, extend, stretch out" (see structure). Applied to animal species first in 1607.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1strain
Pronunciation: 'strAn
Function: noun
: a group of presumed common ancestry with clear-cut physiological but usually notmorphological distinctions strain of bacteria>

Main Entry: 2strain
Function: transitive verb
1 a : to exert (as oneself) to the utmost b : to injure by overuse, misuse, or excessivepressure <strained his heart by overwork> c : to cause a change of form or size in (a body) by application of external force
2 : to cause topass through a strainer strain intransitive senses
: to contract the muscles forcefully in attempting to defecate —often used in the phrase strain at stool

Main Entry: 3strain
Function: noun
: an act of straining or the condition of being strained: as a : excessive physical or mental tension;also : a force, influence, or factor causing such tension b : bodily injury from excessive tension, effort, or use strain>; especially : one resulting from a wrench or twist and involving undue stretching of muscles or ligaments strain> —compare SPRAIN c : deformation of a material body under the action of applied forces
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

strain 1 (strān)
v. strained, strain·ing, strains

  1. To pull, draw, or stretch tight.

  2. To stretch or exert one's muscles or nerves to the utmost.

  3. To injure or impair by overuse or overexertion; wrench.

  4. To filter, trickle, percolate, or ooze.

  5. To pass a liquid through a filtering agent such as a strainer.

  6. To draw off or remove by filtration.

n.

  1. The act of straining.

  2. The state of being strained.

  3. Extreme or laborious effort.

  4. A great or excessive pressure, demand, or stress on one's body, mind, or resources.

  5. A wrench, twist, or other physical injury resulting from excessive tension, effort, or use.

strain 2 (strān)
n.

  1. The collective descendants of a common ancestor; a race, stock, line, or breed.

  2. Any of the various lines of ancestry united in an individual or a family; ancestry or lineage.

  3. A group of organisms of the same species, having distinctive characteristics but not usually considered a separate breed or variety.

  4. An artificial variety of a domestic animal or cultivated plant.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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