strain

(noun) (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces.

(noun) difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension. Synonyms: stress. Examples: "She endured the stresses and strains of life." "He presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger"- r.j.samuelson."

(noun) a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence. Synonyms: tune, melody, air, melodic line, line, melodic phrase. Example: "She was humming an air from beethoven."

(noun) (psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress. Synonyms: mental strain, nervous strain. Examples: "His responsibilities were a constant strain." "The mental strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for him."

(noun) a special variety of domesticated animals within a species. Synonyms: breed, stock. Examples: "He experimented on a particular breed of white rats." "He created a new strain of sheep."

(noun) (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups. Synonyms: form, variant, var.. Example: "A new strain of microorganisms."

(noun) injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain.

(noun) the general meaning or substance of an utterance. Synonyms: tenor. Example: "Although i disagreed with him i could follow the tenor of his argument."

(noun) an effortful attempt to attain a goal. Synonyms: striving, nisus, pains.

(noun) an intense or violent exertion. Synonyms: straining.

(noun) the act of singing. Synonyms: song. Example: "With a shout and a song they marched up to the gates."

(verb) to exert much effort or energy. Synonyms: strive, reach. Example: "Straining our ears to hear."

(verb) test the limits of. Synonyms: try, stress. Example: "You are trying my patience!."

(verb) use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity. Synonyms: extend. Examples: "He really extended himself when he climbed kilimanjaro." "Don't strain your mind too much."

(verb) separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements. Synonyms: sift, sieve. Example: "Sift the flour."

(verb) cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious. Synonyms: tense, tense up. Example: "He got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up."

(verb) become stretched or tense or taut. Synonyms: tense. Example: "The bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed;" "the rope strained when the weight was attached."

(verb) remove by passing through a filter. Synonyms: filter, filtrate, separate out, filter out. Example: "Filter out the impurities."

(verb) rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender. Synonyms: puree. Example: "Puree the vegetables for the baby."

(verb) alter the shape of (something) by stress. Synonyms: deform, distort. Example: "His body was deformed by leprosy."