Dictionary entry details
• STRAIN (noun)
Meaning:
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural phenomena
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
deformation (alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of the application of stress to it)
Domain category:
natural philosophy; physical science; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
overstrain (too much strain)
Meaning:
Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
strain; stress
Context examples:
she endured the stresses and strains of life / he presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
difficulty (a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome)
Meaning:
A succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
tune; melody; melodic phrase; melodic line; strain; air; line
Context example:
she was humming an air from Beethoven
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)
Meronyms (parts of "strain"):
musical phrase; phrase (a short musical passage)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
part; voice (the melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music)
idea; melodic theme; musical theme; theme ((music) melodic subject of a musical composition)
signature; signature tune; theme song (a melody used to identify a performer or a dance band or radio/tv program)
theme song (a melody that recurs and comes to represent a musical play or movie)
leitmotif; leitmotiv (a melodic phrase that accompanies the reappearance of a person or situation (as in Wagner's operas))
roulade ((music) an elaborate run of several notes sung to one syllable)
glissando (a rapid series of ascending or descending notes on the musical scale)
fanfare; flourish; tucket ((music) a short lively tune played on brass instruments)
Meaning:
(psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
nervous strain; mental strain; strain
Context examples:
his responsibilities were a constant strain / the mental strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for him
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
nerves; nervousness (an uneasy psychological state)
Domain category:
psychological science; psychology (the science of mental life)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
stress; tenseness; tension ((psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense)
Meaning:
A special variety of domesticated animals within a species
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Synonyms:
breed; strain; stock
Context examples:
he experimented on a particular breed of white rats / he created a new strain of sheep
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
variety ((biology) a taxonomic category consisting of members of a species that differ from others of the same species in minor but heritable characteristics)
animal group (a group of animals)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
bloodstock (thoroughbred horses (collectively))
pedigree (line of descent of a purebred animal)
Holonyms ("strain" is a member of...):
species ((biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed)
Meaning:
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Synonyms:
var.; variant; strain; form
Context example:
a new strain of microorganisms
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
taxon; taxonomic category; taxonomic group (animal or plant group having natural relations)
Domain category:
biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)
Holonyms ("strain" is a member of...):
species ((biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed)
Meaning:
A lineage or race of people
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
breed; strain
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
ancestry; derivation; filiation; lineage (inherited properties shared with others of your bloodline)
Meaning:
Injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
harm; hurt; injury; trauma (any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.)
Meaning:
The general meaning or substance of an utterance
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Synonyms:
tenor; strain
Context example:
although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
meaning; substance (the idea that is intended)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
drift; purport (the pervading meaning or tenor)
Meaning:
An effortful attempt to attain a goal
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
striving; pains; nisus; strain
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
jehad; jihad (a holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal)
Meaning:
An intense or violent exertion
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
straining; strain
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
effort; elbow grease; exertion; sweat; travail (use of physical or mental energy; hard work)
Meaning:
The act of singing
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
song; strain
Context example:
with a shout and a song they marched up to the gates
Hypernyms ("strain" is a kind of...):
vocal music (music that is vocalized (as contrasted with instrumental music))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "strain"):
carol (a joyful song (usually celebrating the birth of Christ))
cradlesong; lullaby (a quiet song that lulls a child to sleep)
• STRAIN (verb)
Meaning:
To exert much effort or energy
Classified under:
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
Synonyms:
strain; strive; reach
Context example:
straining our ears to hear
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
drive; labor; labour; push; tug (strive and make an effort to reach a goal)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
extend oneself (strain to the utmost)
kill oneself; overexert oneself (strain oneself more than is healthy)
bother; inconvenience oneself; trouble; trouble oneself (take the trouble to do something; concern oneself)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Test the limits of
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Synonyms:
strain; stress; try
Context example:
You are trying my patience!
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
afflict (cause great unhappiness for; distress)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
rack (stretch to the limits)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity
Classified under:
Verbs of eating and drinking
Synonyms:
strain; extend
Context examples:
He really extended himself when he climbed Kilimanjaro / Don't strain your mind too much
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
apply; employ; use; utilise; utilize (put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
task; tax (use to the limit)
overextend; overstrain (strain excessively)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
sift; sieve; strain
Context example:
sift the flour
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
separate (divide into components or constituents)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
rice (sieve so that it becomes the consistency of rice)
resift (sift anew)
riddle; screen (separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff)
fan; winnow (separate the chaff from by using air currents)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Synonyms:
tense up; tense; strain
Context example:
he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
affect (act physically on; have an effect upon)
Cause:
tense; tense up (become tense, nervous, or uneasy)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
extend; stretch (extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Antonym:
unstrain (cause to feel relaxed)
Meaning:
Become stretched or tense or taught
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
tense; strain
Context examples:
the bodybuilder's neck muscles tensed; / the rope strained when the weight was attached
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
tighten (become tight or tighter)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Meaning:
Remove by passing through a filter
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
filter; filter out; filtrate; separate out; strain
Context example:
filter out the impurities
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
separate (divide into components or constituents)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
puree; strain
Context example:
puree the vegetables for the baby
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
rub (move over something with pressure)
Domain category:
cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Alter the shape of (something) by stress
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
distort; deform; strain
Context example:
His body was deformed by leprosy
Hypernyms (to "strain" is one way to...):
form; shape (give shape or form to)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strain"):
jaundice (distort adversely)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
