Forms: 5 stren, 5–7 straine, 6 Sc. streinȝe, strenȝae, 6–7 strayn(e, streine, streyne, 7 streyn, Sc. strienȝie, 7–8 strein, 7– strain. [f. STRAIN v.1]
† I. 1. A strainer. Obs.
1432. in Gross, Gild Merch. (1890), II. 233. For a straine 2 d.
c. 1407. Noble Bk. Cookry (1882), 26. Streyn the broth through a stren.
1655. R. Younge, Charge agst. Drunkards (1863), 3. Custom hath made it to passe through them, as through a tunnel, or streine [1658, strainer].
II. Action or result of straining.
† 2. Constraint, bondage. Obs.
a. 1510. Douglas, K. Hart, I. 274. Thair saw he Lust by law [ly] vnder lok, In streinȝe strong fast fetterit fute and hand.
† 3. Compulsion. Obs.
1532. Abstr. Protocols Town Clerks Glasgow (1897), IV. 46. The forsaydis Thomas and Jonet … sull pas frele, withowt ony impediment and strenȝae ane mark of anwell.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., IV. iii. What I here speake is forced from my lips By the pulsive straine of conscience.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., X. 487. What by dread or straine, you can not worke nor do.
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, XII. ix. Moderation’s Discipline may prove No Task of Duty, but a Strein of Love.
4. A result of straining.
a. An injury done to a limb or part of the body, esp. to a muscle or tendon, through being forcibly stretched beyond its proper length. Often coincident with SPRAIN.
1558. in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Mary (1914), 251. I ame not able to ryde nor shalbe I fear this iij or iiij dais by reason of a strayn.
1580. Lyly, Euphues & Eng., Wks. 1902, II. 204. Saying that in thinges aboue reach, it was easie to catch a straine; but impossible to touch a Star.
1614. Latham, Falconry (1633), 135. This is a very speciall thing to comfort the sinewes ouer strained, and to cure and asswage the anguish of the straine.
1670. E. Borlase, Latham Spaw, 5. His Servant … got a strain in his back, lifting more than he could well master.
a. 1673. P. D., Mare of Collingtoun, in Watson’s Collect., I. (1706), 60. It will be good against the Pine Of any Wriest or Strienzie.
1735. Dyche & Pardon, Dict., Strain,… also an Extorsion of the Sinews beyond their natural Tone, sometimes called a Sprain.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 597. Strains are often attended with worse consequences than broken bones.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXII. 383/1. Sprain, or Strain, is an injury of muscular or tendinous tissues, resulting from their being forcibly stretched beyond their natural length.
† b. A failure under trial. Obs.
1596. Barlow, Three Serm., ii. 81. For thogh the godly haue their slips and straines, yet it greeueth them.
5. A stretch, extreme degree, height, pitch (of a quality, activity, etc.). Now rare.
Some of the examples below might perhaps be referred to STRAIN sb.1 9 or 8 c.
1576. Gascoigne, Steele Gl. (Arb.), 59. But had he seene, the streine of straunge deuise, Which Epicures, do now adayes inuent, To yeld good smacke, vnto their daintie tongues:… Then would he say, that [etc.].
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXVI. vii. 292. More odious than Cleander; who governing as Præfect … in a high straine (as it were) of outrage and madnesse, made havocke … of divers mens estates.
1627. Hakewill, Apol. (1630), 411. Yet Heliogabalus went a straine farther, and put it to a baser use.
1631. R. Bolton, Comf. Affl. Consc., vii. (1635), 43. Crowne Him with the concurrence of all created earthy exellencies, to the utmost and highest straine.
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, XII. cxlvii. No Epicurean ambition e’r Its liquorish self screw’d to so high a strein As to affect a Draught so rich as this.
1664. Wood, Life (O.H.S.), II. 2. The undergraduates … arrived to strang degree and streyn of impudence.
1667. [Sir J. Stuart & Stirling], Napthali, 91. This is a strain or wickedness above all that former times could imagine.
1685. Stillingfl., Orig. Brit., v. 275. This is a Strain beyond Geffrey, who never thought of bringing the British Language from the Plain of Sennaar.
1708. Swift, Abol. Chr. (1717), 13. To Break an English Free-born Officer only for Blasphemy, was … a very high strain of absolute Power.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), I. 228. It was thought … an odd strain of clemency if it was intended he [Milton] should be forgiven.
1717. Pope, Lett. to Earl Halifax, 1 Dec. It is, indeed, a high Strain of Generosity in you, to think of making me easy all my Life.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, V. vi. II. 574. Justice was administered … without any peculiar strain of abuse.
1822. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. Bks. & Reading. I knew a Unitarian minister, who was generally to be seen upon Snowhill…, between the hours of ten and eleven in the morning, studying a volume of Lardner. I own this to have been a strain of abstraction beyond my reach.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 161. Saying the same thing in different ways … is a strain of art beyond the reach of most of us.
† b. Utmost capacity, reach. Obs.
1593. Drayton, Sheph. Garland, Eglog iii. v. Faire Betas praise beyond our straine doth stretch, Her notes too hie for my poore pipe to reach.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., Induct. May our Minerua Answere your hopes, vnto their largest straine! Ibid. (1599), Cynthia’s Rev., I. v. (1601), C 4 b. O how … base a thing is Man, If he not striue t’erect his groueling thoughts Aboue the straine of flesh?
† c. Standard of requirement. Obs.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xxii. § 9. That wee beware wee take not at the first either to High a strayne or to weake: for if, too Highe in a diffident nature you discorage, in a confident nature, you breede an opinion of facility.
† d. ? A ‘stretch’ of country. Obs. rare–1.
1614. Gorges, Lucan, VI. 215. That long stretching Malean straine That shelues so farre into the maine.
† 6. A strained construction or interpretation.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, 26 b. The first straine wheron this further hereticall accord was to be stretched, was this.
1609. [Bp. W. Barlow], Answ. Nameless Cath., 38. What a trifling Sophister this is, to picke quarels at words, by wrests and streines, neither to purpose nor to sense.
1616. Jas. I., Sp. Starre-Chamber, 20 June, 20. It must not bee Sophistrie or straines of wit that must interprete, but either cleare Law, or solide reason.
1629. Charles I., Decl. 3rd Parlt., Wks. 1662, II. 16. Finding … such sinister strains made upon Our Answer to that Petition … We resolved [etc.].
1707. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., II. 334. We declare [this] to be a meer straine and a most unjust Imputation.
1720. Ld. Chanc. Parker, in W. P. Williams, Chancery Cases (1740), I. 517. lt was a strange Construction to take Pains by a Strain in Law, to place a Remainder in Fee in Nubibus.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, I. iv. This, however, is thought to be a mere strain upon the text: For the words are these: ‘That all true’ [etc.] Ibid. (1731), Verses Death Dr. Swift, 327. Not strains of law,… nor jury picked, Prevail to bring him in Convict.
† 7. Something strained or squeezed out. Obs.
c. 1616. Chapman, Batrachom., 3. Lyurings (white-skin’d as Ladies:) nor the straines Of prest milke, renneted.
8. A strong muscular effort; † spec. an effort to vomit, a retching; a straining at stool.
In quots. 1590, 1607 app. used for: A step, pace (? with notion of stately or ponderous movement.)
1590. Greene, Never too Late, Canzone, 37. Her pace was like to Iunoes pompous straines When as she sweeps through heuens brasse-paued way.
1592. Kyd, John Brewen, Wks. (1901), 290. He began to vomet exceedingly, with such straines as if his lungs would burst in pieces.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXII. xxi. II. 126. As many as live thereof, are infested … neither with the dysenterie … ne yet with the troublesome offers and streins to the seege without doing any thing.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 101. This beast … doth not moue his right and left foote one after another, but both together,… whereby his whole body is remoued at euery step or straine.
c. 1630. Donne, Serm., xxxiii. (1640), 322. The holy Ghost … deales not with him, as a Painter, which … passes his pencill an hundred times over every muscle,… but … as a Printer, that in one straine delivers a whole story.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 74 a. The Rise … was only for so little a way, that a beast heavy loaden cou’d get over it at one strain.
1771. R. James, Diss. Fevers (ed. 8), 40. He had several strains for two hours, but never vomited.
1884. W. F. Butler, Mile Boat Song, in Pall Mall Gaz., 16 Oct., 4/2. Row, my boys, row away…. Bend to the strain, men!
b. At (full, utmost) strain, on the strain: straining, using strong effort. Cf. ASTRAIN adv.
1851. Mrs. Browning, Casa Guidi Wind., II. 290. With her wide eyes at full strain.
1868–70. Morris, Earthly Par., III. 432. A dismal wedding! every ear at strain Some sign of things that were to be to gain.
1884. Graphic, 16 Aug., 166/1. Till … even nine at night they are perpetually on the strain.
1885–94. R. Bridges, Eros & Psyche, May, 20. Adonis … spear in hand, with leashed dogs at strain.
1900. F. T. Bullen, With Christ at Sea, xi. 227. They were all labouring at utmost strain to try and save the ship.
c. Extreme or excessive effort; a straining at or after some object of attainment; † labored or affected diction or thought.
1683–6. Dryden’s Plutarch, Jul. Cæsar (1693), IV. 416. Yet with the utmost streins of their valour, they were not able to beat the enemy out of the field.
1713. Johnson, Guardian, No. 4, ¶ 2. ’Tis observable of the Female Poets and Ladies Dedicatory, that … they far exceed us in any Strain or Rant.
1839. Hallam, Lit. Europe, IV. vii. § 5. IV. 501. The Dialogues of the Dead … are condemned by some critics for their false taste and perpetual strain at something unexpected and paradoxical.
1870. Morley, Crit. Misc., Vauvenargues (1871), I. 21. Men think and work on the highest level when they move without conscious and deliberate strain after virtue.
1905. J. H. Jowett, Passion for Souls, 84. There shall be strenuousness without strain!
9. A forcible stretching of a material thing; force tending to pull asunder or to drag from a position. In later use with wider sense: Force or pressure tending to cause fracture, change of position, or alteration of shape; also, the condition of a body or a particle subjected to such force or pressure.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., I. Heele snap in two at every little straine.
1818. P. Barlow, in Encycl. Metrop., III. 61/1. Our object is to investigate the conditions of equilibrium between the resistance of solids, and the strains to which they may be exposed.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xx. (1842), 548. That by directing the pull on the bottle a little on one side or the other, the strain upon the stopper may be equal or nearly so on the two sides.
1827–8. Herschel, in Encycl. Metrop., IV. 565. The general problem, then, to investigate the actual state of strain of any molecule at any moment is one of some complexity.
1842. Gwilt, Archit., Gloss., Strain, the force exerted on any material tending to disarrange or destroy the cohesion of its component parts.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Set up rigging, to take in the slack of the shrouds, stays, and backstays to bring the same strain as before, and thus secure the masts.
1884. Sargent, Rep. Forests N. Amer., 355. Table III. Behavior of the principal woods of the United States under transverse strain.
1888. Burt, Stand. Timber Meas., 312. Table of Breaking Strains.
b. Physics. In mod. use, after Rankine and Thomson: see quots.
1850. Rankine, Misc. Sci. Papers (1881), 68. Although the word strain is used in ordinary language indiscriminately to denote relative molecular displacement, and the force by which it is produced,… I shall … use it, throughout this paper, in the restricted sense of relative displacement of particles, whether consisting in dilatation, condensation, or distortion; while under the term pressure I shall include [etc.].
1879. Thomson & Tait, Nat. Phil., I. I. § 154. We have now to consider the very important kinematical conditions presented by the changes of volume or figure experienced by a solid or liquid mass…. Any such definite alteration of form or dimensions is called a Strain.
10. In immaterial applications of sense 9 a.
† a. pl. Trials, hardships. Obs.
a. 1628. F. Grevil, Sidney (1652), 18. Any man … forced, in the straines of this life, to pass through any straights or latitudes of good or ill fortune.
b. Pressure or exigency that severely taxes the strength, endurance or resources of a person or thing, or that imperils the permanence of a feeling, relation or condition.
1853. Mrs. Gaskell, Ruth, xxxi. I should not have been surprised last night if he had dropped down dead, so terrible was his strain upon himself.
1858. Lytton, What will He do? XII. ix. The reaction that follows all strain upon purpose.
1850. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxvii. 196. The strain upon the horses [was] very great.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Deronda, xv. I. 295. A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 217. He was … a bright, intelligent young Frenchman; but … the strain of his responsibility had been too much for him.
1894. Lady M. Verney, Verney Mem., III. 5. He had been often driven to borrow money of Sir Ralph … but their friendship had stood the strain.
1898. Conan Doyle, Trag. Korosko, v. 123. My Arabic won’t bear much strain. I don’t know what he is saying.
1908. R. Bagot, A. Cuthbert, xxiii. 309. His voice broke suddenly, and Sonia realised the strain he had been putting upon himself to meet his trouble quietly and courageously.
c. Strained relations, tension.
1884. Chr. World, 30 Oct., 821/1. The strain between the two Houses could, he thought, only be relaxed by mutual concessions.
III. (Cf. STRAIN v.1 V.)
11. Mus. A definite section of a piece of music: see quots. 1841–75.
1575. Gascoigne, Posies, Gr. Knt.’s Farew. Fansie, Wks. 1907, I. 381. In Hyerarchies and straynes, in restes, in rule and space, In monacordes and mouing moodes, in Burdens vnder base.
1589. Pappe w. Hatchet, in Lyly’s Wks. (1902), III. 413. Martin, this is my last straine for this fleech of mirth…. I must tune my fiddle, and fetch some more rozen.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 180. Canzonets … (wherein little arte can be shewed being made in straines, the beginning of which is some point lightlie touched, and euerie straine repeated except the middle).
1598. Bastard, Chrestol., II. xxi. 40. He hath rimes and rimes, and double straynes: And golden verses, and all kindes of veynes.
1599. B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Rev., V. v. (1601), L 2. Stage-dir., They daunce the 1. Straine.
1662. Playford, Skill Mus., I. xi. 35. The double Bars are set to divide the several Strains or Stanzaes of the Songs and Lessons.
1676. Mace, Musick’s Mon., 127. If at any time you chance to meet with a Strain, consisting of Odd Barrs, peruse That Strain well.
1841. J. A. Hamilton, Dict. Mus. Terms (ed. 13), 66. Strain, a portion of a movement divided off by a double bar.
1873. H. C. Banister, Mus., 171. A musical idea or passage, more or less complete in itself, and terminating, most frequently, with a Perfect Cadence … constitutes a Rhythmical Period, or Strain.
1875. Stainer & Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, Strain, a musical subject forming part of, and having relation to, a general whole.
12. In wider sense, a musical sequence of sounds; a melody, tune. Often collect. pl.
1579. Gosson, Apol. Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 68. Pypers are sore displeased bicause I allow not their new streines.
1617[?]. Sir W. Mure, To Prince Charles, 4. Montgomery … often ravischt his harmonious ear Wt straynes fitt only for a prince to heir.
1637. Milton, Lycidas, 87. That strain I heard was of a higher mood.
1687. Norris, Misc., 89. Soft melting strains of Music.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 746. She supplies the Night with mournful Strains, And melancholy Musick fills the Plains.
1735. Fielding, Universal Gallant, Epil. By the vast sums we pay them for their strains, They’ll think, perhaps, we don’t abound in brains.
1775. Sheridan, Duenna, I. i. Tell me, my lute, can thy soft strain So gently speak thy master’s pain?
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxvii. Emily recollected the mysterious strains of music that she had lately heard.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 347. When a soft strain of music stole up from the garden.
1827. Keble, Chr. Yr., Morning, 37. As for some dear familiar strain Untir’d we ask, and ask again.
1851. Longf., Golden Leg., IV. Road to Hirschau. This life of ours is a wild æolian harp of many a joyous strain.
1859. Sala, Tw. round Clock, 108. The enlivening strains of the brass band.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 14. Notes are struck which are repeated from time to time, as in a strain of music.
b. transf. A passage of song or poetry. † Also, ? a passage, verse (of the Bible).
1563. Golding, Calvin on Job, 135 b. This is not the naturall meening: and such as take it so, neuer knewe the intent of the holy Ghost as touching this streyne [Fr. quant à ce passage]. Ibid. (1583), Calvin on Deut., ii. 18 b. That then is the thing that wee haue to marke vppon this streyne [Fr. en ce passage].
1632. Milton, Penseroso, 174. Till old experience do attain To something like Prophetic strain.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., I. § 44. There be many excellent straines in that Poet [Lucan].
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., iv. 1. Sicilian Muse, begin a loftier strain!
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 93, ¶ 3. Interest and passion … will for ever bid defiance to the most powerful strains of Virgil or Homer.
1766. [C. Anstey], Bath Guide, i. 14. Here teach fond Swains their hapless Loves In gentle Strains to weep.
1770. Goldsm., Des. Vill., 423. Aid slighted truth with thy persuasive strain.
1833. Tennyson, Miller’s Dau., 66. A love-song I had somewhere read, An echo from a measured strain.
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Goethe, Wks. (Bohn), I. 392. There are nobler strains in poetry than any he has sounded.
1858. J. Martineau, Stud. Christ., 41. Who having the strains of David, would pore over Leviticus?
1879. Geo. Eliot, Theo. Such, ii. 32. I might have poured forth poetic strains which would have anticipated theory.
c. A stream or flow of impassioned or ungoverned language. (Either in favorable or unfavorable sense.) ? Obs.; common in 17–18th c.
1649. Milton, Eikon., vi. 50. The Simily … I was about to have found fault with, as in a garb somwhat more Poeticall then for a Statist: but meeting with many straines of like dress in other of his Essaies,… I begun to think that [etc.].
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. (1716), I. 159. When a man is … fiercely angry … he blustereth and dischargeth his choler in most tragical strains.
1699. T. Baker, Refl. Learn., XV. 178. Macrobius speaks of his [sc. Hippocrates’] knowledge in such lofty strains, as are only agreeable to God Almighty.
1713. Steele, Englishman, No. 55. 355. Addresses came … with foolish Strains of Obedience without Reserve.
1741. Hume, Ess. Mor. & Polit., xvi. (1748), 144. Shall we assert, that the Strains of ancient Eloquence are unsuitable to our Age?
1742. C. Yorke, in G. Harris, Life Ld. Hardwicke (1847), II. 20–1. Dean Swift has had a statute of lunacy taken out against him. His madness appears chiefly in most incessant strains of obscenity and swearing.
13. Tone, style or turn of expression; tone or character of feeling expressed; tenor, drift or general tendency or character (of a composition or discourse).
1622. J. Taylor (Water P.), Water-Cormorant, Pref. I haue thought good to sympathize a subiect fit for the time, and I haue done my best to handle it in a sutable straine.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., Introd. Pref. (1848), p. xxi. When he writes of Ants and Flies, he does it in a Strain worthy of the same Pen, that so loftily describes the Destruction of Troy.
1678. R. Barclay, Apol. Quakers, V. § xxi. 161. It is contrary to the very strain of the Context.
1681. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen. (1693), 1176. A strain in speech, stylus, sermo.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. Introd. To study what those Sayings should contain That speak to us in such a Cloudy strain.
1708. Swift, Baucis & Phil., 11. Where, in the Strolers canting Strain, They begg’d from Door to Door in vain.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng. to Hen. VII., I. i. 23. Their writings, which as appears from the strain of his own wit… he [Gregory] had not taste nor genius sufficient to comprehend.
1777. Priestley, Matter & Spir., Pref. p. xix. It is, I presume, sufficiently evident from the strain of my publications, that general applause has not been my object.
1786. Cowper, Lett., 19 Feb. My friend Bagot writes to me in a most friendly strain.
1808. W. Wilson, Hist. Dissenting Ch., II. 56. For a serious, evangelical strain of preaching,… he was equalled by few ministers in his day.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, IV. v. II. 164. Clive wrote with much sharpness to the Nabob; and Meeran apologized in the most submissive strain.
1826. E. Irving, Babylon, I. II. 68–9. And among the heathen also, if we may judge from the strain of many of their writings.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. II. 141. But his letters to England were in a very different strain.
1870. J. Bruce, Life of Gideon, iv. 74. Observe the strain and character of that wonderful reply.
1902. R. Bagot, Donna Diana, x. 113. At times Frau von Raben would talk in a mysteriously sympathizing strain, as though inviting her confidence.
† IV. 14. The track of a deer. (Cf. STRAIN v.1 18 b.) Obs.
1612. Capt. Smith, Virginia, Wks. (Arb.), I. 71. So watching his best aduantage…, hauing shot him [a deer] hee chaseth him by his blood and straine till he get him.
1652. J. Wright, trans. Camus’ Nat. Paradox, IV. 82. The Hunts-men, who were more in pain for the straying of their Master, than their missing of the Stag, whose Strain they could not finde, all their Hounds being at a loss.
1659. Howell, Let. Tetragl., Partic. Voc., iii. The strain, view, slott, or footing of a deer.
V. 15. attrib. and Comb., as strain-bearing, case, -sensation; strain-band Naut. (see quot. 1867).
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., *Strain-bands, bands of canvas sustaining the strain on the belly of the sails, and reinforced by the linings, &c.
1899. R. Whiteing, No. 5 John St., xix. 194. She [a mare] is a tower of strength, as carefully constructed for *strain-bearing as an Arctic ship.
1898. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., V. 954. The disease in the cardio-arterial cases is ‘progressive’ and in the rheumatic or *strain cases not necessarily so.
1894. J. E. Creighton & Titchener, trans. Wundt’s Hum. & Anim. Psychol., 247. When we are trying to remember a name or are pondering a difficult problem we notice the presence of *strain-sensations.
