Obs. Also 6 streyne, streen, 6–7 straine. [Of obscure origin; cf. MDu., MLG. strene (Du. streen), OHG. streno (MHG. strene, mod.G. strähne), skein, hank.]
1. A thread, line, streak.
c. 1520. Skelton, Magnyf., 1571. The streynes of her veynes as asure inde blewe.
1545. Raynalde, Byrth Mankynde, 22. When the water hath to passe throw so narow passage, it makith the longer iourney and yeldith the smaller thred or streen.
1590. Greene, Never too late (1600), G 4. Her face like siluer Luna in her shine, All tainted through with bright vermillion straines.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, VII. xi. (1614), 706. Barrius … is of opinion, That the violent currents of the Tides … raise vp from the bottom that redde floore … and cause, by the motion of the same vnder the water, that rednesse in the vpper face thereof:… and the threeds or straines of this rednesse are lesse in the greater and more spacious Sea-roome.
2. = STRAND) sb.4 1.
c. 1586. J. Davys, in Hakluyt, Voy. (1589), 786. The straines of one of our cables were broken.
3. A barb or filament of a (peacock’s) feather. (Cf. STRAND sb.4 3 b.)
1651. T. Barker, Art of Angling (1653), 6. Another flie, the Body made of the strain of a Pea Cocks feather.
1662. R. Venables, Exper. Angler, iii. 28. Take one strain of a Peacocks feather (or if that be not sufficient, then another).
