Meaning of strain
Definition of strain
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
(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"
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"
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups; "a new strain of microorganisms"
the general meaning or substance of an utterance; "although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument"
the act of singing; "with a shout and a song they marched up to the gates"
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"
separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements; "sift the flour"
cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up"