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1. Dictionary

   strain

   /streɪn/

   verb

   • 1. force (a part of one's body or oneself) to make an unusually great effort: "I stopped and listened, straining my ears for any sound"
   • ▪ make an unusually great effort: "his voice was so quiet that I had to strain to hear it" Similar strugglelabourtoilmake a supreme effortmake every effortspare no effortstrain every nervetry very hardstrivebreak one's backpush/drive oneself to the limitdo one's bestinformal:pull out all the stopsgo all outgive it one's allbend/lean over backwardsgive it one's best shotbust a gutbreak one's neckdo one's damnedestkill oneselfgo for the doctor
   • ▪ injure (a limb, muscle, or organ) by overexerting it: "on cold days you are more likely to strain a muscle" Similar injurehurtdamageimpairpullwrenchteartwistsprainrickcrick
   • ▪ make severe or excessive demands on: "he strained her tolerance to the limit" Similar overtaxoverworkoverburdenoverextendoverreachovertaskmake too many demands onrun/work oneself into the groundexert excessivelydrive too farexert to the limitpush to the limitexhaustwear outfatiguetiretaxoverdo itwork too hardinformal:knackerknock oneself out
   • ▪ pull or push forcibly at something: "the bear strained at the chain around its neck" Similar pulltugheavehauljerkpushinformal:yank
   • ▪ stretch (something) tightly: "the barbed wire fence was strained to posts six feet high"
   • ▪ embrace (someone) tightly: archaic "she strained the infant to her bosom again"
   • 2. pour (a mainly liquid substance) through a porous or perforated device or material in order to separate out any solid matter: "strain the custard into a bowl"
   • ▪ cause liquid to drain off (food which has been boiled, soaked, or canned) by using a porous or perforated device: "she turned to the sink to strain the noodles" Similar sievesiftfilterscreenriddleseparatepercolateleachrare:filtrategriddle
   • ▪ drain (liquid) off food by using a porous or perforated device: "strain off the surplus fat" Similar sievesiftfilterscreenriddleseparatepercolateleachrare:filtrategriddle

   noun

   • 1. a force tending to pull or stretch something to an extreme or damaging degree: "the usual type of chair puts an enormous strain on the spine" Similar tensiontightnesstautnesssheardistensionrare:tensity
   • ▪ an injury to a part of the body caused by overexertion: "he has a slight groin strain" Similar injurysprainwrenchtwistrick
   • ▪ the magnitude of a deformation, equal to the change in the dimension of a deformed object divided by its original dimension.
   • 2. a severe or excessive demand on the strength, resources, or abilities of someone or something: "the accusations put a strain on relations between the two countries" Similar pressuredemandsburdensexertionsstresstensioninformal:hassle
   • ▪ a state of tension or exhaustion resulting from severe demands on one's strength or resources: "the telltale signs of nervous strain" Similar stresstensionnervous tensionanxietyexhaustionfatiguetirednesswearinesspressure of workoverworkduressOpposite relaxation
   • 3. the sound of a piece of music: "the distant strains of the brass band grew louder" Similar soundmusicmelodytuneairsong

   Word Origin Middle English (as a verb): from Old French estreindre, from Latin stringere ‘draw tight’. Current senses of the noun arose in the mid 16th century.

   Derivatives

   • 1. strainable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 6

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   • A

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2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishSTRAIN | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   STRAIN definition: 1. a force or influence that stretches, pulls, or puts pressure on something, sometimes causing…. Learn more.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › strainStrain Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › strain

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word strain as a noun and a verb, with synonyms, examples, and word history. Find out how strain can refer to lineage, ancestry, quality, tune, injury, tension, and more.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionarySTRAIN | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

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   Learn the meaning of strain as a noun and a verb in English, with different senses and contexts. Find out how to use strain in sentences, idioms and expressions with examples from various sources.

5. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishSTRAIN definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   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.

6. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishstrain noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

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   Learn the meaning and usage of the word strain as a noun in different contexts, such as pressure, injury, plant, music and character. Find synonyms, collocations, idioms and pronunciation tips for strain.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishMeaning of strain – Learner’s Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

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   Learn the meaning of strain as a noun and a verb in English, with synonyms, translations and usage examples. Strain can refer to a feeling, an injury, a stretch, a disease, a plant or a separation.

8. www.thefreedictionary.com › strainStrain - definition of strain by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › strain

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   1. a. To make strong or steady efforts; strive hard: straining to complete the coursework. b. To contract or exert one's muscles to the utmost. 2. To pull or push forcibly or violently: The dog strained at its leash. 3. To be or become wrenched or twisted: the flagpole straining in the wind. 4.

9. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › strainStrain - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › strain

   The noun strain is a stretch, effort, or exertion. You can strain your ankle, or your little brother can strain your patience. This word has many, many meanings.

10. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › strainstrain | meaning of strain in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary...

    www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › strain

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    Learn the meaning of strain as a noun in different contexts, such as worry, difficulty, force, injury, plant, quality, and way of saying something. See collocations, phrases, and examples from the corpus.

11. www.britannica.com › dictionary › strainStrain Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

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    Learn the different meanings and uses of the word strain in English, from a feeling of stress and worry to a force that pulls or stretches something. See examples, synonyms, and related terms for strain.