strain

crack under the strain

Fig. to have a mental or emotional collapse because of continued work or stress. He worked 80-hour weeks for a month and finally cracked under the strain.

See also: crack

place a strain on someone or something 

1. Lit. to burden and nearly overwhelm someone or something. The weight of all the trucks placed a strain on the bridge.

2. Fig. to tax the resources or strength of someone, a group, or something to the utmost. All of the trouble at work placed a strain on Kelly. The recession placed a strain on the economy.

See also: place

put a strain on someone or something

to burden or overload someone or something. All this bad economic news puts a strain on everyone's nerves. The epidemic put a strain on the resources of the hospital.

See also: put

strain something off of something and strain something off

to remove the excess or unwanted liquid from something. The cook strained the grease off the cooking juices. The cook strained off the grease.

strain something through something

to filter a liquid or a watery substance by pouring it through something. Tony strained the strawberry jelly through cheesecloth. We will have to strain the clabber to take out the curds.

See also: through

strain after something

[for a singer] to work very hard to reach a very high or a very low note. Don't strain after the note. Let it come naturally, like a cooling breeze. She was straining after each note as if it hurt her to sing, which it probably did.

See also: after

strain at gnats and swallow camels

Prov. to criticize other people for minor offenses while ignoring major offenses. (Biblical.) Jill: Look at that. Edward is combing his hair at his desk. How unprofessional. Jane: Don't strain at gnats and swallow camels. There are worse problems than that around here.

See also: and, camel, gnat, swallow

strain at the leash 

1. Lit. [for a dog] to pull very hard on its leash. It's hard to walk Fido, because he is always straining at the leash. I wish that this dog would not strain at the leash. It's very hard on me.

2. Fig. [for a person] to want to move ahead with things, aggressively and independently. She wants to fix things right away. She is straining at the leash to get started. Paul is straining at the leash to get on the job.

See also: leash

strain away (at something)

to work very hard, continuously, at doing something. She strained away at her weights, getting stronger every day. She was straining away on the rowing machine when we came in.

See also: away

strain for an effect

to work very hard to try to achieve some effect. The actors were straining so hard for an effect that they forgot their lines. Don't strain for effect so much. The authors of this drama knew what they were doing, and it's in the lines already.

See also: effect

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be straining at the leash

to be very eager to do something that you are being prevented from doing at the present time Meanwhile we hear that our soldiers have reached a peak of fitness and are straining at the leash.

See also: leash

strain every nerve

to try extremely hard to do something I was straining every nerve to catch what they were saying but they were sitting just a bit too far away from me.

See also: every, nerve