STRAIN


Meaning of STRAIN in English

(~s, ~ing, ~ed)

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.

1.

If ~ is put on an organization or system, it has to do more than it is able to do.

The prison service is already under considerable ~...

The vast expansion in secondary education is putting an enormous ~ on the system.

= pressure

N-VAR: oft under N, N on n

2.

To ~ something means to make it do more than it is able to do.

The volume of scheduled flights is ~ing the air traffic control system...

= stretch

VERB: V n

3.

Strain is a state of worry and tension caused by a difficult situation.

She was tired and under great ~.

...the stresses and ~s of a busy and demanding career.

= stress

N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl

4.

If you say that a situation is a ~, you mean that it makes you worried and tense.

I sometimes find it a ~ to be responsible for the mortgage.

N-SING: a N

5.

Strain is a force that pushes, pulls, or stretches something in a way that may damage it.

Place your hands under your buttocks to take some of the ~ off your back...

N-UNCOUNT

6.

Strain is an injury to a muscle in your body, caused by using the muscle too much or twisting it.

Avoid muscle ~ by warming up with slow jogging.

N-VAR: usu n N

7.

If you ~ a muscle, you injure it by using it too much or twisting it.

He ~ed his back during a practice session.

VERB: V n

8.

If you ~ to do something, you make a great effort to do it when it is difficult to do.

I had to ~ to hear...

They ~ed their eyes, but saw nothing.

VERB: V to-inf, V n

9.

When you ~ food, you separate the liquid part of it from the solid parts.

Strain the stock and put it back into the pan.

VERB: V n

10.

You can use ~ to refer to a particular quality in someone’s character, remarks, or work.

There was a ~ of bitterness in his voice.

...this cynical ~ in the book.

N-SING: with supp

11.

A ~ of a germ, plant, or other organism is a particular type of it.

Every year new ~s of influenza develop.

N-COUNT: usu N of n

12.

see also eye ~ , repetitive ~ injury

Collins COBUILD.      Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) .