Strained

ppl. a.¹ [f. STRAIN v.¹ + -ED¹.]

  1.  Subjected to physical tension. Of a rope, etc.: Stretched tight.

1640.  J. Gower, Ovid’s Festiv., IV. 82. The strained ropes mens toilsome hands do wring.

1769.  J. Granger, Biogr. Hist. Eng., II. 563. One represents her dancing on a strained, the other vaulting on a slack rope.

1854.  Pereira’s Polarized Light (ed. 2), 143. The immediate effect of heat on one part of a piece of glass is to put all the surrounding parts into a strained state.

1859.  Jephson, Brittany, iv. 39. Their well-formed ankles [shown to advantage] by their tightly strained black stockings.

1869.  Rankine, Machine & Hand-tools, Summary Princ. 1. If a previously strained body, upon the removal of the stress, recovers its free shape, it is said to be perfectly elastic.

1888.  T. Watts, Burd. Armada, in Athenæum, 18 Aug., 224/2. And now, amid the tempest’s din Each Spaniard in the strained Vasana pales.

  2.  Of a part of the body: Injured by over-exertion of the muscles, etc. Said also of an animal suffering from such an injury.

1611.  Cotgr., Seton,… the rowelling, or roping of a bruised, or strained horse.

1753.  Richardson, Grandison (1754), II. x. 64. A wry face, and a strained neck, denoting her difficulty to get down but a lark’s morsel.

1829.  J. Lawrence, Horse, 185. I have, now and then, heard of a strained ankle as the consequence [of a lady’s jumping from her saddle].

1899.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 175. These cases … which are often called ‘strained back,’ etc.

  3.  Of the voice, gaze, attention, ‘nerves,’ etc.: Exerted by an abnormal effort or to an abnormal degree. Of look or expression: Showing signs of nerve-tension.

a. 1542.  Wyatt, Penit. Ps. xxxii. Proem. 32. W^t strained voyce againe thus cryth he.

1577.  Kendall, Flowers of Epigr., 80. With strained throates God saue the kyng they crie, and crie alowde.

1606.  Wotton, Life & Lett. (1907), I. 343. Whom welcoming with a very high and strained voice.

1697.  Congreve, Mourn. Bride, II. i. 19. O my strain’d Heart.

1806.  Surr, Winter in Lond., I. 75. Fixing his strained eyes upon a portrait of Dr. Enfield which hung over the chimney.

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., xv. The person who sung kept a strained and powerful voice at its highest pitch.

1841.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, lxi. With eager eyes and strained attention.

1863.  Mrs. Oliphant, Salem Chapel, xxi. Afraid to relax her strained nerves even by leaning back or forward.

1908.  R. Bagot, A. Cuthbert, xxviii. 368. The strained, drawn expression, telling of mental suffering.

  4.  Of conduct, demeanor, gestures, etc.: Produced under compulsion or by deliberate effort; artificial, forced, not spontaneous or natural.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 7325. My lemman, Streyned-Abstinence [m’amie Contrainte-Astenance].

1588.  W. R., Engl. Ape, 23. Theyr strayned modesty, and theyr counterfayte coynesse.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. i. 161 (Qo.). This strained passion doth you wrong my lord. Ibid. (1612), Two Noble K., III. iii. 56. Foole, Away with this straind mirth.

1628.  Feltham, Resolves, I. vi. 13. If you search for high and strained Carriages; you shall for the most part, meete with them, in low men.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. xiii. Thoroughly used to him as he was, he found something new and strained in him [sc. his friend] that was for the moment perplexing.

1898.  Kipling, Day’s Work, 210–1. The strained, eye-shirking talk at dinner till the servants had withdrawn.

  5.  Of language, construction put upon words or actions, etc.: Employed or interpreted in a labored, far-fetched or non-natural sense; wrested or distorted from the natural meaning or intention; pressed, forced. Of a conception, supposition, etc.: Pushed beyond what is natural or reasonable.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., lxxxii. 10. When they have deuisde What strained touches Rhethorick can lend.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., III. xlii. 304. Which is a strange, and very much strained interpretation.

1747.  Ld. Chanc. Hardwicke, in G. Harris, Life (1847), I. 374. I own I thought this a strained construction, & did not scruple to say so.

1768.  H. Walpole, Hist. Doubts, 64. There is nothing strained in the supposition of Richard’s sparing his nephew.

1857.  C. B[athurst], Rem. Differ. Shaks. Versif., 42. There is nothing pompous, strained, ranting.

1885.  Law Times, LXXVIII. 386/2. Surely this is rather a strained construction to put upon the 26th section?

  6.  Of a regulation, enactment, prerogative, etc.: Pushed or urged beyond what is equitable. Of personal relations, a situation, etc.: Subjected to a dangerous degree of tension, forced to a point where a rupture becomes imminent.

1735.  trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist., X. i. § 2. IV. 273. Was it not a wise amendment of what was too strained and excessive in that law of Lycurgus?

1880.  Daily News, 2 Nov., 4/8. The situation was thought ‘strained’ even in a disturbed Oriental country.

1899.  P. H. Brown, Hist. Scot., II. ii. I. 77. The peace between the two kings was of short duration. On the Easter following their treaty a trifling incident again placed them in strained relations.

1911.  Craik, Edward Earl of Clarendon, I. iii. 69. Charles … resolved to summon a Parliament. The first step in the surrender of a strained prerogative was taken.

  7.  Passed through a strainer or colander.

1591.  A. W., Bk. Cookrye, 12. So boyle them in the broth and thicke it with strained bread.

1596.  Barrough, Meth. Phisick (ed. 3), 436. To the strained decoction, put the iuice of quince peares and pomegranates.

1611.  Cotgr., Pressis, cullisses, or strained meats.

1675.  Hannah Woolley, Gentlew. Comp., 131. A Gallandine-sauce made with strained Bread, Vinegar [etc.].

1731.  Arbuthnot, Aliments, iii. (1735), 68. If the Plant be boil’d in the same Water, the strain’d Liquor is call’d the Decoction of the Plant.

1871.  Garrod, Mat. Med. (ed. 3), 170. Reduce the strained liquor to three pints.

  fig.  1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., IV. iv. 26 (Qo.). Cressid I loue thee in so strain’d a purity.

  † 8.  Having a strain or melody; formed into melody. Obs.

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. i. (Arb.), 79. The harmonicall concents of the artificial Musicke, consisting in strained tunes.

1601.  Weever, Mirr. Mart., lxxix. B 8. Whose strayned ditties most melodicall.

  Hence Strainedly adv., Strainedness.

1571.  Golding, Calvin on Ps. ix. 7. 27. Others more streynedly interpret it.

1639.  N. N., trans. Du Boscq’s Compl. Woman, II. 59. Hence it is they live with so much strainednesse, and that there is nothing even or natively done in their behaviours.

1697.  G. Keith, 2nd Narr. Proc. Turner’s Hall, 26. He unfairly and strainedly defends G. Fox’s words.

1891.  H. C. Halliday, Someone must Suffer, I. viii. 184. She entered, smiling rather strainedly.