strain
     n 1: (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of
          applied forces
     2: difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension; "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 [syn: {stress}]
     3: a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; "she
        was humming an air from Beethoven" [syn: {tune}, {melody},
         {air}, {melodic line}, {line}, {melodic phrase}]
     4: (psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress; "his
        responsibilities were a constant strain"; "the mental
        strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for
        him" [syn: {mental strain}, {nervous strain}]
     5: a special variety of domesticated animals within a species;
        "he experimented on a particular breed of white rats"; "he
        created a new strain of sheep" [syn: {breed}, {stock}]
     6: (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ
        in trivial ways from similar groups; "a new strain of
        microorganisms" [syn: {form}, {variant}, {var.}]
     7: a lineage or race of people [syn: {breed}]
     8: injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in
        swelling and pain
     9: pervading note of an utterance; "I could follow the general
        tenor of his argument" [syn: {tenor}]
     10: an effortful attempt to attain a goal [syn: {striving}, {nisus},
          {pains}]
     11: an intense or violent exertion [syn: {straining}]
     12: the act of singing; "with a shout and a song they marched up
         to the gates" [syn: {song}]
     v 1: to exert much effort or energy; "straining our ears to hear"
          [syn: {strive}, {reach}]
     2: test the limits of; "You are trying my patience!" [syn: {try},
         {stress}]
     3: use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity; "He
        really extended himself when he climbed Kilimanjaro";
        "Don't strain your mind too much" [syn: {extend}]
     4: separate by passing through a sieve or other straining
        device to separate out coarser elements; "sift the flour"
        [syn: {sift}, {sieve}]
     5: make tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; [syn: {tense},
        {tense up}] [ant: {relax}, {relax}]
     6: stretch or force to the limit; "strain the rope" [syn: {tense}]
     7: remove by passing through a filter; "filter out the
        impurities" [syn: {filter}, {filtrate}, {separate out}, {filter
        out}]
     8: rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender;
        "puree the vegetables for the baby" [syn: {puree}]
     9: alter the shape of (something) by stress; "His body was
        deformed by leprosy" [syn: {deform}, {distort}]
Source: WordNet® 2.0