释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024strain1 /streɪn/USA pronunciation v. - to draw tight;
make taut: [~ + object]The mountain climbers strained their rope until it broke.[~ + at + object]The dog strained at its leash. - to use one's efforts or strength as much as possible: [~ + object]She strained her ears and tried to hear what they were saying.[~ + to + verb]He stood by the door, straining to hear what they were saying inside.
- to injure (a muscle, etc.) by stretching too hard:[~ + object]He strained his leg muscle on that last jump.
- to make excesssive demands upon (someone or something):[~ + object]straining the budget to make ends meet.
- to cause to pass through a strainer:[~ + object]Strain the spinach.
- to draw off by means of a strainer:[~ + object]to strain the water from spinach.
- to filter or ooze:[no object]Water strained through the spinach.
n. - any force tending to alter shape, cause a fracture or break, etc.: [uncountable]strain from high winds on an airplane wing.[countable]to reduce the strains caused by the settling of the house.
- strong effort:[uncountable]His face showed signs of strain as he lifted the heavy weights.
- an injury to a muscle, etc., due to excessive use;
sprain: [uncountable]muscle strain.[countable]To avoid muscle strains, warm up slowly before exercise. - the condition of being strained or stretched: [uncountable]The strain on the economy was too great.[countable]Strains in the economy were beginning to show.
- pressure or tension, as from fatigue: [uncountable]The strain of hard work was beginning to show on his face.[countable]the strains of immigrating to a new country.
See -strain-.strain2 /streɪn/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- Geneticsthe group of all descendants having a common ancestor, as a family or stock.
- a variety, esp. of microorganisms:a new strain of bacteria.
- Medicinea characteristic or trait inherited from an ancestor:There is a strain of insanity in the family.
strain3 /streɪn/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- Music and Dancea melody;
a tune. - Literaturea style present throughout a work, esp. a written work:He wrote it in a humorous strain.
-strain-, root. - -strain- comes from French and ultimately from Latin, where it has the meaning "stretch;
tighten; bind.'' It is related to the root -strict-. This meaning is found in such words as: constrain, restrain, strain, strait, straiten, unrestrained.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024strain1 (strān),USA pronunciation v.t. - to draw tight or taut, esp. to the utmost tension;
stretch to the full:to strain a rope. - to exert to the utmost:to strain one's ears to catch a sound.
- to impair, injure, or weaken (a muscle, tendon, etc.) by stretching or overexertion.
- to cause mechanical deformation in (a body or structure) as the result of stress.
- to stretch beyond the proper point or limit:to strain the meaning of a word.
- to make excessive demands upon:to strain one's luck; to strain one's resources.
- to pour (liquid containing solid matter) through a filter, sieve, or the like in order to hold back the denser solid constituents:to strain gravy.
- to draw off (clear or pure liquid) by means of a filter or sieve:to strain the water from spinach; to strain broth.
- to hold back (solid particles) from liquid matter by means of a filter or sieve:to strain seeds from orange juice; to strain rice.
- to clasp tightly in the arms, the hand, etc.:The mother strained her child close to her breast.
- [Obs.]to constrain, as to a course of action.
v.i. - to pull forcibly:a dog straining at a leash.
- to stretch one's muscles, nerves, etc., to the utmost.
- to make violent physical efforts;
strive hard. - to resist forcefully;
balk:to strain at accepting an unpleasant fact. - to be subjected to tension or stress;
suffer strain. - to filter, percolate, or ooze.
- to trickle or flow:Sap strained from the bark.
n. - any force or pressure tending to alter shape, cause a fracture, etc.
- strong muscular or physical effort.
- great or excessive effort or striving after some goal, object, or effect.
- an injury to a muscle, tendon, etc., due to excessive tension or use;
sprain. - Mechanics, Physics, Physicsdeformation of a body or structure as a result of an applied force.
- condition of being strained or stretched.
- a task, goal, or effect accomplished only with great effort:Housecleaning is a real strain.
- severe, trying, or fatiguing pressure or exertion;
taxing onus:the strain of hard work. - a severe demand on or test of resources, feelings, a person, etc.:a strain on one's hospitality.
- a flow or burst of language, eloquence, etc.:the lofty strain of Cicero.
- Often, strains. a passage of melody, music, or songs as rendered or heard:the strains of the nightingale.
- Music and Dancea section of a piece of music, more or less complete in itself.
- Poetrya passage or piece of poetry.
- Literaturethe tone, style, or spirit of an utterance, writing, etc.:a humorous strain.
- a particular degree, height, or pitch attained:a strain of courageous enthusiasm.
- Latin stringere to bind, tie, draw tight. See stringent
- Old French estrein-, stem of estreindre to press tightly, grip
- Middle English streinen (verb, verbal) 1250–1300
strain′ing•ly, adv. strain′less, adj. strain′less•ly, adv. - 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged tighten.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Strain, sprain imply a wrenching, twisting, and stretching of muscles and tendons. To strain is to stretch tightly, make taut, wrench, tear, cause injury to, by long-continued or sudden and too violent effort or movement:to strain one's heart by overexertion, one's eyes by reading small print.To sprain is to strain excessively (but without dislocation) by a sudden twist or wrench, the tendons and muscles connected with a joint, esp. those of the ankle or wrist:to sprain an ankle.
- 7.See corresponding entry in Unabridged filter, sieve.
- 10.See corresponding entry in Unabridged hug, embrace, press.
- 17.See corresponding entry in Unabridged seep.
- 20.See corresponding entry in Unabridged exertion.
- 22.See corresponding entry in Unabridged wrench.
strain2 (strān),USA pronunciation n. - Geneticsthe body of descendants of a common ancestor, as a family or stock.
- Geneticsany of the different lines of ancestry united in a family or an individual.
- Botanya group of plants distinguished from other plants of the variety to which it belongs by some intrinsic quality, such as a tendency to yield heavily;
race. - Genetics, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Botanyan artificial variety of a species of domestic animal or cultivated plant.
- Microbiologya variety, esp. of microorganisms.
- Geneticsancestry or descent.
- Medicinehereditary or natural character, tendency, or trait:a strain of insanity in a family.
- a streak or trace.
- a kind or sort.
- [Obs.]procreation.
- bef. 950; Middle English strene, Old English strēon lineage, race, stock, tribe; akin to strīenan to beget
- 7.See corresponding entry in Unabridged streak, vein, predisposition.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: strain /streɪn/ vb - to draw or be drawn taut; stretch tight
- to exert, tax, or use (resources) to the utmost extent
- to injure or damage or be injured or damaged by overexertion: he strained himself
- to deform or be deformed as a result of a stress
- (intransitive) to make intense or violent efforts; strive
- to subject or be subjected to mental tension or stress
- to pour or pass (a substance) or (of a substance) to be poured or passed through a sieve, filter, or strainer
- (transitive) to draw off or remove (one part of a substance or mixture from another) by or as if by filtering
- (transitive) to clasp tightly; hug
- (intransitive) followed by at: to push, pull, or work with violent exertion (upon)
n - the act or an instance of straining
- the damage resulting from excessive exertion
- an intense physical or mental effort
- (often plural) a theme, melody, or tune
- a great demand on the emotions, resources, etc
- a feeling of tension and tiredness resulting from overwork, worry, etc; stress
- a particular style or recurring theme in speech or writing
- the change in dimension of a body under load expressed as the ratio of the total deflection or change in dimension to the original unloaded dimension. It may be a ratio of lengths, areas, or volumes
Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French estreindre to press together, from Latin stringere to bind tightly strain /streɪn/ n - the main body of descendants from one ancestor
- a group of organisms within a species or variety, distinguished by one or more minor characteristics
- a variety of bacterium or fungus, esp one used for a culture
- a streak; trace
- archaic a kind, type, or sort
Etymology: Old English strēon; related to Old High German gistriuni gain, Latin struere to construct |