strain [ME, streinen] , 1. v., to exert physical force in a manner that may result in injury, usually muscular. 2. v., to separate solids or particles from a liquid with a filter or sieve. 3. n., damage, usually muscular, that results from excessive physical effort. 4. n., a taxon that is a subgroup of a species. 5. n., an emotional state reflecting mental pressure or fatigue.
