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straining |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Strain \Strain\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Strained}; p. pr & vb n. {Straining}.] [OF. estraindre estreindre F. ['e]treindre, L. stringere to draw or bind tight; probably akin to Gr ? a halter, ? that which is squeezwd out a drop, or perhaps to E. strike. Cf {Strangle}, {Strike}, {Constrain}, {District}, {Strait}, a. {Stress}, {Strict}, {Stringent}.] 1. To draw with force; to extend with great effort; to stretch; as to strain a rope; to strain the shrouds of a ship; to strain the cords of a musical instrument. ``To strain his fetters with a stricter care.'' --Dryden. 2. (Mech.) To act upon in any way so as to cause change of form or volume, as forces on a beam to bend it 3. To exert to the utmost; to ply vigorously. He sweats, Strains his young nerves. --Shak. They strain their warbling throats To welcome in the spring. --Dryden. 4. To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to in the matter of intent or meaning; as to strain the law in order to convict an accused person. There can be no other meaning in this expression, however some may pretend to strain it --Swift. 5. To injure by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force; as the gale strained the timbers of the ship. 6. To injure in the muscles or joints by causing to make too strong an effort; to harm by overexertion; to sprain; as to strain a horse by overloading; to strain the wrist; to strain a muscle. Prudes decayed about may track, Strain their necks with looking back --Swift. 7. To squeeze; to press closely. Evander with a close embrace Strained his departing friend. --Dryden. 8. To make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain. He talks and plays with Fatima, but his mirth Is forced and strained. --Denham. The quality of mercy is not strained. --Shak. 9. To urge with importunity; to press; as to strain a petition or invitation. Note, if your lady strain his entertainment. --Shak. 10. To press, or cause to pass, through a strainer, as through a screen, a cloth, or some porous substance; to purify, or separate from extraneous or solid matter, by filtration; to filter; as to strain milk through cloth. {To strain a point}, to make a special effort; especially, to do a degree of violence to some principle or to one's own feelings. {To strain courtesy}, to go beyond what courtesy requires; to insist somewhat too much upon the precedence of others -- often used ironically. --Shak. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Straining \Strain"ing\, a. & n. from {Strain}. {Straining piece} (Arch.), a short piece of timber in a truss, used to maintain the ends of struts or rafters, and keep them from slipping. See Illust. of {Queen-post}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: straining adj : taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance; "his final, straining burst of speed"; "a strenuous task"; "your willingness after these six arduous days to remain here"- F.D.Roosevelt [syn: {arduous}, {strenuous}] n 1: an intense or violent exertion [syn: {strain}, {stress}] 2: the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean [syn: {distortion}, {overrefinement}, {torture}, {twisting}]
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