# strained

Pronunciation: US say "STRAYND" /stɹeɪ̯nd/; UK

## Adjective

1. Under tension or stress; tight and lacking ease.
   - Simple: Pulled tight, or full of stress and tension.
   - _Relations between the two countries grew increasingly strained over trade._
   - _His voice sounded strained as he tried to keep his composure._
2. Produced with visible effort rather than naturally or spontaneously.
   - Simple: Done with effort, not coming naturally or easily.
   - _The conversation felt strained, as if both of them were choosing every word._
   - _She offered a strained politeness that fooled no one._
4. Having been passed through a strainer so that solids are removed.
   - Simple: Poured or pushed through a strainer so the solid bits are removed.
   - _The chef finished the dish with a spoonful of strained tomatoes._
   - _Pour the strained stock back into the pot and reduce it._

## Verb

3. Simple past and past participle of strain. — simple past and past participle of strain
   - Simple: Simple past and past participle of strain. Use it for stretching, filtering, or injuring that already happened.
   - _The cook strained the broth through a fine mesh before serving._
   - _Years of heavy lifting had strained his shoulders._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/strained (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).