strain
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /stɹeɪn/
rhymes: -eɪn
Forms: form: strains
form: straining
form: strained
form: strained
Etymology: From Middle English straynen, streinen, streynen, from Old French estreindre (whence French étreindre (“to grip”)), from Latin stringō (“to draw tight together, to tie”).
Senses: examples: text: So hauing said, her twixt her armes twaine / She straightly straynd, and colled tenderly […]
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
text: Evander with a close embrace / Strained his departing friend.
ref: 1697, Virgil, “The Eighth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
text: "Farewell!"—the mother strained her child to her heart again, and again put her from her, to embrace her more closely.
ref: 1859, Ferna Vale, Natalie; or, A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds:
glosses: To hold tightly, to clasp.
examples: text: to strain a rope; to strain the shrouds of a ship
text: Relations between the United States and Guatemala traditionally have been close, although at times strained by human rights and civil/military issues.
glosses: To apply a force or forces to by stretching out.
examples: text: The gale strained the timbers of the ship.
glosses: To damage by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force.
glosses: To act upon, in any way, so as to cause change of form or volume, as when bending a beam.
examples: text: Sitting in back, I strained to hear the speaker.
text: To build his fortune I will strain a little.
ref: c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
text: He sweats, / Strains his young nerves.
ref: 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
text: They strain their warbling throats / To welcome in the spring.
ref: 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
text: Thus my plight was evil indeed, for I had nothing now to burn to give me light, and knew that 'twas no use setting to grout till I could see to go about it. Moreover, the darkness was of that black kind that is never found beneath the open sky, no, not even on the darkest night, but lurks in close and covered places and strains the eyes in trying to see into it.
ref: [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:
glosses: To exert or struggle (to do something), especially to stretch (one's senses, faculties etc.) beyond what is normal or comfortable.
examples: text: to strain the law in order to convict an accused person
text: There can be no other meaning in this expression, however some may pretend to strain it.
ref: 1724, “Drapier's Letters”, in 4, Jonathan Swift:
glosses: To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in terms of intent or meaning.
examples: text: Strain the noodles and rinse with fresh water until it runs clear. The noodles should be soft, but not mushy.
ref: 2017 November 14, Matthew Kenney, PLANTLAB, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:
glosses: To separate solid from liquid by passing through a strainer or colander.
examples: text: water straining through a sandy soil
glosses: To percolate; to be filtered.
examples: text: Prince. How does my Father? / Princeſs. Still talks and plays with Fatyma, but his mirth / Is forc'd and ſtrain'd: In his look appears / A wild diſtracted fierceneſs; […]
ref: 1641 (first performance), [John Denham], The Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act III, page 42:
text: The quality of mercy is not strained.
ref: c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
glosses: To make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain.
examples: text: to strain a petition or invitation
text: Note, if your lady strain his entertainment.
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
glosses: To urge with importunity; to press.
glosses: To hug somebody; to hold somebody tightly.
Derived terms: gnat-strain
strain a point
strain at a gnat
strain at the leash
strain courtesy
strainer
strain every nerve
strain the potatoes