See Also: strain(1)(dictionary)
Strain(health)
re-strain(dictionary)
strain(2)(dictionary)
strain(3)(dictionary)
strain(4)(dictionary)
strain(encyclopedia)
HFR strain(medicine)
eye strain(dictionary)
type strain(medicine)

strain(3) (iou)



strain verb1. ME.
[Old French estrei(g)n- stem of estreindre (mod. etreindre) from Latin stringere draw tight, bind tightly.]
I.
verb trans.
a. Bind fast; confine in bonds. ME-M16.
b. Fasten or attach firmly to. Long rare or obsolete. LME.
C. Merivale The bonds which strained them to the conquerors.
verb trans. Control, restrain. ME-L16.
T. Phaer You gave me might these stormy winds to strain.
verb trans. Clasp tightly in one's arms (now only to oneself, one's heart, etc.). LME.
Shakespeare Henry VIII Our king has all the Indies in his arms..when he strains that lady. D. H. Lawrence 'Sure?' she whispered, straining him to her.
a. verb intrans. & trans. Esp. of a hawk: seize (prey) in the claws. LME-L16.
b. verb trans. Clasp tightly in the hand; spec. (a) press or squeeze (another's hand or fingers, a person by the hand), esp. in affection or farewell; (b) rare clasp (one's own hands) forcibly; (c) arch. grip or grasp tightly (a weapon etc.). E16.
Sir W. Scott Straining the curtal-axe in his gripe. J. S. Winter 'Mrs Ferrers,' cried Lassie, straining her..hands together...'Tell me the whole truth.'
verb trans. Orig., hurt by physical pressure; pinch. Later spec., constrict painfully (as) with a binding cord. LME.
Tennyson The wounding cords that bind and strain The heart.
verb trans.
a. Compress, contract, or diminish in bulk or volume. Also, draw (the brows) together. LME-M16.
b. refl. Squeeze oneself through a constricted space. Only in 17.
Marvell Practising..To strain themselves through Heavens Gate.
verb trans. Press hard on, afflict, distress. LME-M18.
T. Boston Being strained with this message I laid it before the Lord.
verb trans. Force, press, or constrain (to, to do). LME-E17.
R. Knolles The enemie,..strained by necessitie,..will prey vpon your countries.
b. Urge or insist on (a thing). LME-E17.
Shakespeare Othello Note if your lady strain his entertainment With any strong or vehement importunity.
verb trans. Extract (liquor or juice) by pressure; squeeze out; fig. extort (money, a confession, etc.). L15-E19.
Shakespeare Merchant of Venice The quality of mercy is not strain'd: It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. Pope The Bard..strains, from hard-bound brains, eight lines a year.
II.
verb trans. Extend with some effort; subject to tension, stretch; spec. (a) tie or fasten (bonds etc.) tightly; (b) stretch and hold extended (a person's body or limbs) on a cross, rack, etc., as torture or punishment; (c) extend and make taut (a line, wire, etc.), stretch (material) on a frame, over a surface, etc.; (d) tighten up (a string of a musical instrument) to raise the pitch. LME.
Dryden Beware To strain his Fetters with a stricter Care. Law Times The barbed wire fence..was strained to posts..6ft. high.
verb trans. fig.
a. Distort the meaning or sense of (words, a decree, etc.). LME.
Ld Macaulay Defective laws should be altered.., and not strained by the tribunals. Times Kallir..says that these painters were 'not professional artists', but this is surely straining words.
b. Transgress the strict requirements of (one's conscience), violate the spirit of (one's oath). L16.
c. Apply or use (a thing) beyond its province. L16-M17.
d. Force (prerogative, power, etc.) beyond its legitimate extent or scope. E17.
W. S. Churchill The King..strained all expedients to the limits.
e. Raise to an extreme degree. Only in 17.
Dryden She strains her Malice more.
f. Orig., make severe demands on the resources of (a person). Later, make severe or excessive demands on (one's resources, credit, friendship, etc.). E17.
E. Longford French finances were so dangerously strained that he was planning..loans.
g. Insist on unduly, be excessively punctilious about. M17-E18.
h. Bring (a person, situation, etc.) to a state of extreme tension. M17.
Milton Matters now are strain'd Up to the highth. C. Lamb While he held you in converse, you felt strained to the height.
verb trans. Stretch (one's sinews, nerves, muscles) beyond the normal degree (as) through intense exertion; force to extreme effort, exert to the utmost (one's limbs, powers, etc.). LME.
M. Elphinstone This..exercise only operates on the arms.., but the others strain every muscle in the frame. E. Bowen Straining her eyes over her work.
b. verb intrans. Of the eye or ear: try to make out an indistinct sight or sound. Chiefly poet. M19.
R. C. Hutchinson My ears were straining for the return of the planes.
a. verb trans. Injure (a limb, muscle, tendon, etc., oneself) by stretching or overexertion; sprain. E17.
Z. Tomin The professor had strained his back.
b. verb trans. Impair or put at risk the strength of (a material thing) by excessive tension or disruptive force. M18.
Smollett The coach was so hard strained, that one of the irons which connect the frame snapped.
c. verb trans. Physics & Engineering. Subject to strain, distort by loading. M19.
d. verb intrans. Engineering. Be subjected to strain, be distorted. M19.
III.
verb trans. Pass (liquid) through a porous or perforated medium, esp. a sieve or similar device, which keeps back solid matter; free (solid matter) from liquid by this process; purify or refine by filtration. LME.
Green Cuisine Strain the yoghurt through a J-cloth.
b. Remove (liquid) by filtration, drain off. Also foll. by from, out, off. E16.
T. Brugis Straine all the..water from them through a..Cloth.
verb intrans. Filter; trickle; rare (of a stream) flow. L16.
Bacon Sea water..Strayning through the Sandes, leaueth the Saltnesse. J. Buchan The river..strains in mazy channels and backwaters.
IV.
verb refl. Exert oneself physically, esp. so as to be in danger of injury. Now rare or obsolete exc. as passing into sense 12. LME.
R. Brome Use this whistle for me, I dare not straine my selfe to winde it.
a. verb intrans. Make violent and continuous physical effort; exert oneself to the utmost. Also foll. by forward, together. LME.
R. Brautigan The first-grader strained around, trying to read what was written on his back. transf.: T. S. Eliot Words strain, Crack and sometimes break.
b. verb intrans. Of a deer: run at full speed, gallop. Now rare. L16.
Sir W. Scott Nor farther might the quarry..strain.
c. verb trans. Direct (one's steps) hastily; make (one's way) with effort. L16-M18.
d. verb intrans. Pull forcibly (at a rope etc.). L18.
B. Chatwin A..spaniel was panting and straining at its leash.
verb intrans. Use one's utmost endeavours; strive vigorously. Also foll. by to do, after, for. L16.
R. Graves Straining in memory, I can find No cause why you should weep. F. Tomlin Jean Cocteau's straining after effect.
verb intrans.
a. Make an effort to defecate. M17.
b. Retch, heave, make an effort to vomit. L17-E18.
V.
verb trans. Use (the voice) in song; play on (an instrument). Also, utter (words, notes, etc.) in song. L16-M17.
Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet The lark..sings so out of tune, Straining harsh discords. E. Fairfax The priests..With sacred hymnes their holy voices straine.
b. verb intrans. Sing. rare. Only in E17.
Phrases etc.: strain a point arch. exceed customary or permitted limits in one's course of action. strain at make a difficulty of accepting; scruple at; see also sense 17d above. strain at a gnat [with allus. to Matthew 23:24, where sense is properly 'strain a liquid if it contains even a gnat'] be unduly fussy or scrupulous about something of little importance. strain at the leash: see LEASH noun. strain every nerve: see NERVE noun 1a. strain up force up to a higher scale of estimation.
strainable adjective (rare) L15.