[Tn, Tn.pr] stretch (sth) tightly by pulling 拉紧, ?紧（某物）: strain a rope (to breaking-point/until it breaks) 把绳子拉紧（直到拉断）. 
[I, It, Tn, Tnt] make the greatest possible effort; use all one's power, energy, etc (to do sth) 竭力; 用全力（做某事）: wrestlers heaving and straining 尽力拼搏的摔交运动员 * strain (one's ears) to hear a conversation 聚精会神地听别人交谈 * straining to understand what she meant 努力弄懂她的意思 * strain one's voice to shout 扯着嗓门叫喊. 
[Tn] injure or weaken (esp a part of the body) by stretching too much or trying too hard 因过度伸展或用力而损伤（尤指身体某部位）: strain a muscle, one's heart 肌肉﹑ 心肌劳损 * strain one's eyes, eg by reading in a bad light 损害视力（如在微弱光线下阅读） * strain one's voice, ie by speaking or singing too long or too loudly 喊哑嗓子（因说话或唱歌时间过长或声音过大） * (ironic 反语) I would welcome some help but don't strain yourself! 我倒是盼着有人来帮忙--只是别累坏了你自己! 
[Tn] (fml fig 文, 比喻) force (sth) beyond a limit of what is acceptable 竭力使（某事物）超过极限: strain the credulity of one's listeners 使听的人难以相信 * strain one's authority, rights, power, etc, ie go beyond what is allowed or reasonable 滥用权威﹑ 权利﹑ 权力等 * Her prose strains language (ie the meaning of words) to the limits. 她的散文在语言运用上已超越了规范的极限. 
[Tn] pass (food, etc) through a sieve, cloth, etc when separating solids from liquids 过滤（食物等）: strain the soup, vegetables 过滤汤﹑ 蔬菜 * The tea hasn't been strained, ie It is full of tea-leaves. 这茶未经过滤（未滤去茶叶）. 
(idm 习语) strain after ef`fects/an ef`fect try in a forced or unnatural way to make sth seem impressive 勉强地或造作地使某事物显得了不起. strain at the `leash (infml 口) be eager to have the freedom to do what one wants 渴望挣脱束缚: teenagers straining at the leash to escape parental control 极力要摆脱父母控制的青少年. strain every `nerve (to do sth) try as hard as one can 尽力（做某事）. 
(phr v) strain at sth make a strenuous effort by pulling at sth 用力拉﹑ 拖﹑ 拽﹑ 曳...某物: rowers straining at the oars 用力划桨的划船手 * dogs straining at the lead 用力拖曳牵狗皮带的狗. strain sth off (from sth) remove (eg liquid) from solid matter by using a sieve, etc 滤去（液体等）: strain off the water from the cabbage when it is cooked 烹调洋白菜时把水分滤掉.> strained adj
1 unnatural, forced and artificial; not easy or relaxed 不自然的; 勉强的; 造作的; 紧张的: astrained laugh 勉强的笑 * strained relations, ie unpleasanttension between people, groups or countries 紧张的关系（人际﹑ 团体或国家之间的）.
2 overtired and anxious 过度疲劳和焦虑的; 心力交瘁的: She looked very strained when I last saw her. 我上次看见她时, 她显得非常憔悴.
strainer n (esp in compounds 尤用以构成复合词) device for straining (strain1 5) liquids 过滤器; 滤网: a `tea-strainer 滤茶器.