strain
verb
[ streɪn ]
• 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"
• 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"
strain
noun
• 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"
• 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"
• the sound of a piece of music.
• "the distant strains of the brass band grew louder"
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.
strain
noun
• a particular breed, stock, or variety of an animal or plant.
• a particular tendency as part of a person's character.
• "there's a strain of Victorian rectitude in him"
Origin:
Old English strīon ‘acquisition, gain’, of Germanic origin; related to Latin struere ‘to build up’.
