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

3.a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence;

she was humming an air from Beethoven

4.(psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress;

his responsibilities were a constant strain

5.a special variety of domesticated animals within a species;

he experimented on a particular breed of white rats

6.(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups;

a new strain of microorganisms

7.a lineage or race of people

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

10. an effortful attempt to attain a goal

11. an intense or violent exertion

12. the act of singing;

with a shout and a song they marched up to the gates

1.to exert much effort or energy;

straining our ears to hear

2.test the limits of;

You are trying my patience!

3.use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity;

He really extended himself when he climbed Kilimanjaro

4.separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements;

sift the flour

5.make tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious;

6.stretch or force to the limit;

strain the rope

7.remove by passing through a filter;

filter out the impurities

8.rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender;

puree the vegetables for the baby

9.alter the shape of (something) by stress;

His body was deformed by leprosy