strain

STRAYN/stɹeɪn/

25 meanings of strain

1
nouncountable or uncountable
A muscle or tendon injury caused by stretching or working it too hard.
Like a rope that grows weak after being pulled too hard.
He got a bad strain in his leg after lifting the heavy box.
Rest and ice help a back strain heal faster.
Similarpull, sprain, injury, tear, wrench
2
nouncountable or uncountable
A very hard effort that puts too much pressure or tension on the body.
Like the heavy pressure on a rope when two teams pull it from both ends.
The strain of carrying the boxes upstairs left her out of breath.
You can feel the strain in your arms after a long swim.
Similarstress, pressure, exertion, effort, tension
Oppositerelaxation, ease, rest
3
verbtransitive
To damage something by pulling or stretching it too hard.
Like bending a paperclip back and forth until it weakens.
Don't strain the rope by hanging too much weight on it.
He strained his back when he tried to move the couch alone.
Similarpull, wrench, sprain, overstretch, overload
4
verbtransitive
To pour a mix through a strainer so the liquid passes through and the solid stays behind.
Like pouring sand and water through a net so only the water drips out.
Strain the pasta before adding the sauce.
She strained the soup to remove the bones.
Similarsieve, filter, drain, screen
5
verbtransitive or intransitive
To push your body or mind hard to do something difficult.
Like reaching as far as you can to touch something just out of reach.
She had to strain to hear the quiet voice on the phone.
He strained to lift himself over the wall.
Similarstruggle, strive, labor, try, endeavor
Note
6
nouncountable
A specific type of a germ, virus, or other tiny living thing.
Like different breeds of dog: all dogs, but each one a little different.
A new strain of flu spread quickly through the school.
This strain of yeast makes bread rise faster.
Similarvariant, variety, type
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7
nouncountable or uncountable
The act of filtering something, or the state of being stretched tight.
You could see the strain on the bridge as the trucks crossed.
The strain of the liquid through the mesh took several minutes.
Similartension, stress, pressure, tautness, filtering
Oppositeslackness, relaxation
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8
verbtransitive
To stretch the meaning of something too far, so it no longer feels right.
Like stretching a small story into a big one until it sounds untrue.
That excuse strains the truth a little too much.
Don't strain the rules just to win the game.
Similarstretch, distort, twist, warp, pervert
9
verbtransitive
To pull something tight by stretching it.
Like pulling a rubber band tight between your hands.
The workers strain the wire until it is tight.
She strained the canvas over the frame.
Similarstretch, tighten, tauten, tension, pull
Oppositeslacken, loosen, relax
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10
verbtransitive
To force something out in a way that looks unnatural or uncomfortable.
Like forcing a smile when you really want to cry.
He strained a smile even though he felt sad.
She tried to strain a laugh at the weak joke.
Similarforce, feign, fake, muster, manufacture
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11
verbintransitive
To pass slowly through a filter.
Like water slowly dripping through a coffee filter.
The coffee strains slowly through the paper filter.
Water will strain through the sand and come out clear.
Similarfilter, percolate, drain, seep, trickle
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12
verbtransitive
To push or bend something so that it changes shape or size.
Like pressing on a plastic ruler until it bends.
Heavy loads strain the beam until it bends.
The weight strained the shelf out of shape.
Similardeform, stress, distort, bend
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13
noununcountable
A number that shows how much something has stretched or squashed compared to its starting size.
Like measuring how much longer a stretched rubber band is than it was before.
The strain on the rubber band was about ten percent of its length.
Engineers measured the strain in the metal bar as it stretched.
Similardeformation
Note
14
nounfigurativelycountable
An inherited quality or tendency passed down through a family.
Like getting your grandfather's curly hair without ever choosing it.
There's a stubborn strain running through her father's side of the family.
A rebellious strain in his character made him hard to command.
Similartendency, propensity, proneness
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15
nouncountable
A part of a tune or song, or the main feeling that runs through a piece of music or poem.
Like the part of a song you hum without thinking.
The first strain of the melody always makes her cry.
A cheerful strain ran through the whole song.
Similartheme, style, manner
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16
nouncountable
A way of speaking or writing that is grand, beautiful, or poetic.
Like switching from everyday talk to the grand words of a wedding speech.
He spoke in such a noble strain that everyone fell silent.
Her thank-you note ended in a warm, gentle strain.
Similartone, vein, register, pitch, style
17
verbtransitive
To hold someone tightly in your arms.
Like wrapping your arms around someone and squeezing.
He longed to strain her in his arms once more.
She strained the frightened child to her chest.
Similarclasp, hug, embrace, hold, clutch
Oppositerelease
18
verbtransitive
To keep asking someone for something in a strong, pushy way.
Like a kid who keeps asking "are we there yet?" over and over.
They strained him for an answer until he finally gave one.
Don't strain her for a decision before she's ready.
Similarpress, pressure, push, urge, badger
Note
19
nounarchaic
A person's family line or ancestry.
Like a family tree showing who your great-great-grandparents were.
He came from a noble strain.
He is of a noble strain.
1598, William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”Here, strain means family line or ancestry.
Note
20
nounrarecountable
A particular kind or type of person.
Like saying someone is "a certain type" of person.
He's a rare strain of honest politician.
She belongs to a tough strain of farmer.
Similarbreed, kind, sort, type, variety
21
verbobsoletetransitive
To hold something or someone very tightly.
Evander with a close embrace / Strained his departing friend.
1697, Virgil, “The Eighth Book of the Æneis”Here, strained means held very tightly in a hug.
"Farewell!"—the mother strained her child to her heart again, and again put her from her, to embrace her more closely.
1859, Ferna Vale, NatalieHere, strained means held very tightly in a hug.
Note
22
nounobsolete
Valuable things, like riches or treasure.
Like a pirate's chest full of gold coins.
The dragon guarded a great strain of gold.
They buried their strain beneath the old oak tree.
Note
23
nounobsolete
The small blood vessel found in the yolk of an egg.
Like a tiny red thread inside the yellow part of an egg.
She picked out the strain before frying the egg.
A red strain showed clearly in the broken yolk.
Note
24
nounobsoletecountable or uncountable
The trail or tracks left by a deer.
Like footprints in the mud that show where an animal went.
The hunters followed the strain through the woods.
When they have shot a Deere by land, they follow him like bloud-hounds by the bloud, and straine, and oftentimes so take them.
1624, John Smith, Generall HistorieHere, straine means the tracks left by a deer.
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25
verbobsolete
To bring young into being, or to be born into the world.
A man straineth, liveth, then dieth.
Here, straineth means is born into the world.
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Practice

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Origins

Meanings 6, 14–16, 19–20, 22–23

From Old English strēon, meaning gain or wealth, going back to a Proto-Germanic word for treasure or profit.

Meanings 1–5, 7–13, 17–18, 21, 24

From Old French estreindre, from Latin stringō, meaning to draw tight or tie.

Meaning 25

From Old English strēonan, meaning to beget or acquire, from a Proto-Germanic word for furnishing or acquiring.