strain

noun1 of 2

too much pressure on a person or system that can cause problems

• “His voice was strained from singing along at the concert.”Tatoeba
• “He strained every nerve to see in the darkness.”Tatoeba

Sentences from Tatoeba show real usage. A word can have several meanings, so a sentence may use another one.

verb2 of 2

To hold tightly, to clasp.