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verb (used with object)
1.
to draw tight or taut, especially 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.
verb
1.
to draw or be drawn taut; stretch tight
2.
to exert, tax, or use (resources) to the utmost extent
3.
to injure or damage or be injured or damaged by overexertion: he strained himself
4.
to deform or be deformed as a result of a stress
5.
(intransitive) to make intense or violent efforts; strive
6.
to subject or be subjected to mental tension or stress
7.
to pour or pass (a substance) or (of a substance) to be poured or passed through a sieve, filter, or strainer
8.
(transitive) to draw off or remove (one part of a substance or mixture from another) by or as if by filtering
9.
(transitive) to clasp tightly; hug
10.
(transitive) (obsolete) to force or constrain
11.
(intransitive) foll by at

to push, pull, or work with violent exertion (upon)
to strive (for)
to balk or scruple (from)

noun
12.
the act or an instance of straining
13.
the damage resulting from excessive exertion
14.
an intense physical or mental effort
15.
(music) (often pl) a theme, melody, or tune
16.
a great demand on the emotions, resources, etc
17.
a feeling of tension and tiredness resulting from overwork, worry, etc; stress
18.
a particular style or recurring theme in speech or writing
19.
(physics) the change in dimension of a body under load expressed as the ratio of the total deflection or change in dimension to the original unloaded dimension. It may be a ratio of lengths, areas, or volumes
noun
1.
the main body of descendants from one ancestor
2.
a group of organisms within a species or variety, distinguished by one or more minor characteristics
3.
a variety of bacterium or fungus, esp one used for a culture
4.
a streak; trace
5.
(archaic) a kind, type, or sort

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

To pull, draw, or stretch tight.

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

To injure or impair by overuse or overexertion; wrench.

To filter, trickle, percolate, or ooze.

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

To draw off or remove by filtration.

n.

The act of straining.

The state of being strained.

Extreme or laborious effort.

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

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

strain 2 (strān)
n.

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

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

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

An artificial variety of a domestic animal or cultivated plant.

strain
(strān)

A group of organisms of the same species, sharing certain hereditary characteristics not typical of the entire species but minor enough not to warrant classification as a separate breed or variety. Resistance to specific antibiotics is a feature of certain strains of bacteria.

The extent to which a body is distorted when it is subjected to a deforming force, as when under stress. The distortion can involve a change both in shape and in size. All measures of strain are dimensionless (they have no unit of measure). ◇ Axial strain is equal to the ratio between the change in length of an object and its original length. ◇ Volume strain is equal to the ratio between the change in volume of an object and its original volume. It is also called bulk strain. ◇ Shear strain is equal to the ratio between the amount by which an object is skewed and its length. Compare stress. See more at Hooke’s law.