strain meaning

• Verb: strain  streyn
  1. To exert much effort or energy
     "straining our ears to hear"
     - strive, reach 
  2. Test the limits of
     - try, stress 
  3. Use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity
     "Don't strain your mind too much"
     - extend 
  4. Separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements
     - sift, sieve 
  5. Cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious
     - tense, tense up 
  6. Become stretched or tense or taut
     "the rope strained when the weight was attached"
     - tense 
  7. Remove by passing through a filter
     - filter, filtrate, separate out, filter out 
  8. Rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender
     - puree, purée 
  9. Alter the shape of (something) by stress
     - deform, distort
  Noun: strain  streyn
  1. (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces 
  2. Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension
     "she endured the stresses and strains of life"
     - stress 
  3. A succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
     - tune, melody, air, melodic line, line, melodic phrase 
  4. (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"
     - mental strain, nervous strain 
  5. A special variety of domesticated animals within a species
     "he created a new strain of sheep"
     - breed, stock 
  6. (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups
     "a new strain of microorganisms"
     - form, variant, var. 
  7. Injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain 
  8. The general meaning or substance of an utterance
     - tenor 
  9. An effortful attempt to attain a goal
     - striving, nisus, pains 
  10. An intense or violent exertion
      - straining 
  11. The act of singing
      - song

  Derived forms: strains, straining, strained

  See also: strainer, strenuous

  Type of: affect, afflict, animal group, apply, attempt, deformation, difficulty, drive, effort, elbow grease, employ, endeavor [US], endeavour [Brit, Cdn], exertion, form, harm, hurt, injury, labor [US], labour [Brit, Cdn], meaning, music [archaic], nerves, nervousness, push, rub, separate, shape, substance, sweat, taxon, taxonomic category, taxonomic group, tighten, trauma, travail, try, tug, use, utilise [Brit], utilize, variety, vocal music

  Antonym: unstrain

  Part of: species

  Encyclopedia: Strain

• 
  [Architecture]
  

  A change in the form or shape of a body or material which is subjected to an external force.

• 
  [Electronics]
  A force that compresses or squeezes a body. Compare TENSION,
  1.
  strain gauge See ELECTRIC STRAIN GAUGE.
  
• 
  [Mechanics]
  "Change in length of an object in some direction per unit undistorted length in some direction, not necessarily the same, the nine possible strains form a second-rank tensor."

[Medicine]
A collective term for muscle and ligament injuries without dislocation or fracture. A sprain is a joint injury in which some of the fibers of a supporting ligament are ruptured but the continuity of the ligament remains intact. A strain is an overstretching or overexertion of some part of the musculature. n : a group of presumed common ancestry with clear-cut physiological but usu. not morphological distinctions ‹a highly virulent strain of bacteria›
²strain
vt
1
a : to exert (as oneself) to the utmost
b : to injure by overuse, misuse, or excessive pressure ‹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 to pass through a strainer
¦ vi : to contract the muscles forcefully in attempting to defecate —often used in the phrase strain at stool
³strain
n : 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 ‹heart strain›; esp : one resulting from a wrench or twist and involving undue stretching of muscles or ligaments ‹back strain› —compare SPRAIN
c : deformation of a material body under the action of applied forces

• strain at:    strain at sth if s ...
• bulk strain, volume strain:    [Architecture]The ...
• shear strain, shearing strain:    [Architecture]A de ...

Examples

1. red strains of delicious are being planted.
2. it was a great strain on my resources.
3. then the orchestra played a quick-step strain.
4. mr. dashwood's strains were more solemn.
5. they can grow in all mouse strain.