strain (redirected from strains)

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