DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Strain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Strained p. pr. & vb. n. Straining.]
 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.”
 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.