| / English Dictionary |
STRAIN
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The act of singing
Example:
with a shout and a song they marched up to the gates
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
vocal music (music that is vocalized (as contrasted with instrumental music))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
carol (a joyful song (usually celebrating the birth of Christ))
cradlesong; lullaby (the act of singing a quiet song to lull a child to sleep)
Sense 2
Meaning:
An intense or violent exertion
Synonyms:
strain; straining
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
effort; elbow grease; exertion; sweat; travail (use of physical or mental energy; hard work)
Derivation:
strain (to exert much effort or energy)
strain (use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity)
strain (test the limits of)
strenuous (characterized by or performed with much energy or force)
Sense 3
Meaning:
An effortful attempt to attain a goal
Synonyms:
nisus; pains; strain; striving
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
jehad; jihad (a holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal)
Derivation:
strain (to exert much effort or energy)
strain (use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity)
strenuous (taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance)
Sense 4
Meaning:
The general meaning or substance of an utterance
Example:
although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument
Synonyms:
strain; tenor
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
meaning; substance (the idea that is intended)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
drift; purport (the pervading meaning or tenor)
Sense 5
Meaning:
A succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
Example:
she was humming an air from Beethoven
Synonyms:
air; line; melodic line; melodic phrase; melody; strain; tune
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)
Meronyms (parts of "strain"):
musical phrase; phrase (a short musical passage)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
fanfare; flourish; tucket ((music) a short lively tune played on brass instruments)
glissando (a rapid series of ascending or descending notes on the musical scale)
roulade ((music) an elaborate run of several notes sung to one syllable)
leitmotif; leitmotiv (a melodic phrase that accompanies the reappearance of a person or situation (as in Wagner's operas))
theme song (a melody that recurs and comes to represent a musical play or movie)
signature; signature tune; theme song (a melody used to identify a performer or a dance band or radio/tv program)
idea; melodic theme; musical theme; theme ((music) melodic subject of a musical composition)
part; voice (the melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music)
Sense 6
Meaning:
A special variety of domesticated animals within a species
Example:
he created a new strain of sheep
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
animal group (a group of animals)
variety ((biology) a taxonomic category consisting of members of a species that differ from others of the same species in minor but heritable characteristics)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
bloodstock (thoroughbred horses (collectively))
pedigree (line of descent of a purebred animal)
Holonyms ("strain" is a member of...):
species ((biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed)
Sense 7
Meaning:
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups
Example:
a new strain of microorganisms
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
taxon; taxonomic category; taxonomic group (animal or plant group having natural relations)
Domain category:
biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)
Holonyms ("strain" is a member of...):
species ((biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed)
Sense 8
Meaning:
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural phenomena
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
deformation (alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of the application of stress to it)
Domain category:
natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
overstrain (too much strain)
Derivation:
strain (cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious)
strain (become stretched or tense or taut)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
harm; hurt; injury; trauma (any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.)
Derivation:
strain (alter the shape of (something) by stress)
Sense 10
Meaning:
(psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress
Example:
the mental strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for him
Synonyms:
mental strain; nervous strain; strain
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
nerves; nervousness (an uneasy psychological state)
Domain category:
psychological science; psychology (the science of mental life)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
stress; tenseness; tension ((psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense)
Sense 11
Meaning:
Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension
Example:
he presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger
Synonyms:
strain; stress
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
difficulty (a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome)
II. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they strain ... he / she / it strains
Past simple: strained
Past participle: strained
-ing form: straining
Sense 1
Meaning:
Cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious
Example:
he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
affect (act physically on; have an effect upon)
Cause:
tense; tense up (become tense, nervous, or uneasy)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
extend; stretch (extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Antonym:
unstrain (cause to feel relaxed)
Derivation:
strain ((physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Alter the shape of (something) by stress
Example:
His body was deformed by leprosy
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
form; shape (give shape or form to)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
jaundice (distort adversely)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
strain (injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain)
Sense 3
Meaning:
To exert much effort or energy
Example:
straining our ears to hear
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
drive; labor; labour; push; tug (strive and make an effort to reach a goal)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
extend oneself (strain to the utmost)
kill oneself; overexert oneself (strain oneself more than is healthy)
bother; inconvenience oneself; trouble; trouble oneself (take the trouble to do something; concern oneself)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Derivation:
strain (an intense or violent exertion)
strain (an effortful attempt to attain a goal)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity
Example:
Don't strain your mind too much
Synonyms:
extend; strain
Classified under:
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
apply; employ; use; utilise; utilize (put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
overextend; overstrain (strain excessively)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
strain (an intense or violent exertion)
strain (an effortful attempt to attain a goal)
straining (an intense or violent exertion)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender
Example:
puree the vegetables for the baby
Synonyms:
puree; strain
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
rub (move over something with pressure)
Domain category:
cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Sense 6
Meaning:
Remove by passing through a filter
Example:
filter out the impurities
Synonyms:
filter; filter out; filtrate; separate out; strain
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
separate (divide into components or constituents)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
strainer (a filter to retain larger pieces while smaller pieces and liquids pass through)
Sense 7
Meaning:
Separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements
Example:
sift the flour
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
separate (divide into components or constituents)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
rice (sieve so that it becomes the consistency of rice)
resift (sift anew)
riddle; screen (separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff)
winnow (separate the chaff from grain by using air currents)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
strainer (a filter to retain larger pieces while smaller pieces and liquids pass through)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Become stretched or tense or taut
Example:
the rope strained when the weight was attached
Synonyms:
strain; tense
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
tighten (become tight or tighter)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Derivation:
strain ((physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Test the limits of
Example:
You are trying my patience!
Synonyms:
strain; stress; try
Classified under:
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
afflict (cause great unhappiness for; distress)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
rack (stretch to the limits)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
strain (an intense or violent exertion)
Context examples:
It is caused by bacteria, viruses, or vocal strain.
(Acute Laryngitis, NCI Thesaurus)
I assure you I am in no danger of putting any strained construction on your motives.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
But I do not approve of this derivation, which seems to be a little strained.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
Mr. Dashwood's strains were more solemn.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
Attenuated strains of disease-causing bacteria and viruses are often used as vaccines.
(Attenuated, NCI Dictionary)
A PCR-based method for differentiating M. tuberculosis strains based on the number of tandem repeats of the Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Unit.
(Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Unit Typing, NCI Thesaurus)
Sir, I can stand this strain no longer; I shall go mad if it continues.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
I had forgot that he was of the same strain as yourself.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
For me, the watches of that long night passed in ghastly wakefulness; strained by dread: such dread as children only can feel.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
You can understand, however, that the situation is a little strained.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
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