strain

n 1: (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of

applied forces

2: a state of extreme difficulty: "he presided over the economy

during the period of the greatest stress and danger"-

R.J.Samuelson [syn: {stress}]

3: a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; "she

was humming an air from Beethoven" [syn: {tune}, {melody},

{air}, {melodic line}, {line}, {melodic phrase}]

4: nervousness resulting from mental stress; "his

responsibilities were a constant strain"; "the mental

strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for

him" [syn: {mental strain}, {nervous strain}]

5: a special kind of domesticated animals within a species; "he

experimented on a particular breed of white rats"; "he

created a new variety of sheep" [syn: {breed}, {stock}, {variety}]

6: (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ

in trivial ways from similar groups; "a new strain of

microorganisms" [syn: {form}, {variant}, {var.}]

7: a lineage or race of people [syn: {breed}]

8: injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in

swelling and pain

9: pervading note of an utterance; "I could follow the general

tenor of his argument" [syn: {tenor}]

10: an effortful attempt to attain a goal [syn: {striving}, {nisus},

{pains}]

11: an intense or violent exertion [syn: {straining}, {stress}]

12: the act of singing; "with a shout and a song they marched up

to the gates" [syn: {song}]

v 1: to exert much effort or energy: "straining our ears to

hear." [syn: {strive}, {reach}]

2: test the limits of; "You are trying my patience!" [syn: {try},

{stress}]

3: use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity; "He

really extended himself when he climbed Kilimanjaro";

"Don't strain your mind too much" [syn: {extend}]

4: separate by sifting, as of flour; also used for information

[syn: {sift}, {sieve}]

5: make tense [syn: {tense}, {tense up}] [ant: {relax}, {relax}]

6: stretch or force to the limit; "strain the rope" [syn: {tense}]

7: remove by passing through a filter; "filter out the

impurities" [syn: {filter}, {filtrate}, {separate out}, {filter

out}]

8: rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender;

"puree the vegetables for the baby" [syn: {puree}]

9: alter the shape of (something) by stress; "His body was

deformed by leprosy" [syn: {deform}, {distort}]