- [uncountable, countable]
pressure on a system or relationship because great demands are being placed on it 压力；重负；重压之下出现的问题（或担忧等） The transport service cannot cope with the strain of so many additional passengers. 运输部门无法应对增加这么多乘客所带来的紧张局面。 - under strain
Their marriage is under great strain at the moment. 眼下他们的婚姻关系非常紧张。 - strain on something
These repayments are putting a strain on our finances. 偿还这些债务对我们的财务状况形成了压力。 There are strains in the relationship between the two countries. 两国关系紧张。
Synonyms pressurepressure- stress
- tension
- strain
- pressure difficulties and feelings of worry that are caused by the need to achieve something or to behave in a particular way:
She was unable to attend because of the pressures of work. 由于工作紧张，她不能出席。
- stress pressure or worry caused by the problems in somebody’s life:
stress-related illnesses 与精神压力有关的疾病
pressure or stress? 用 pressure 还是 stress？ - tension a feeling of worry and stress that makes it impossible to relax:
nervous tension 神经紧张
- strain pressure on somebody/something because they have too much to do or manage; the problems or worry that this produces:
I found it a strain looking after four children. 我觉得照料四个孩子挺累的。
- to be under pressure/stress/strain
- considerable pressure/stress/tension/strain
- to cause stress/tension/strain
- to cope with the pressure/stress/tension/strain
- to relieve/release the pressure/stress/tension/strain
- to be suffering from stress/tension
Extra ExamplesAfter three years, their marriage was beginning to show signs of strain. 3 年后，他们的婚姻开始出现紧张迹象。 Increasing demand is placing undue strain on services. 需求不断增加对服务造成过大的压力。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- enormous
- great
- …
- be under
- come under
- feel
- …
- show
- take its toll (on somebody)
- tell (on somebody)
- …
- under the strain
- strain on
- a bit of a strain
- signs of strain
- stresses and strains
- …
- [countable, uncountable]
mental pressure or worry felt by somebody because they have too much to do or manage; something that causes this pressure 焦虑；紧张 You will learn to cope with the stresses and strains of public life. 你要学会应付公众人物生活的紧张和辛劳。 I found it a strain having to concentrate for so long. 我觉得这么长时间全神贯注挺累的。 Relax, and let us take the strain (= do things for you). 你歇一下，我们来顶一会儿。 - under strain
Television newsreaders come under enormous strain. 电视新闻播报员处于极大的压力之下。
Extra ExamplesAfter weeks of overtime, she was starting to feel the strain. 加班几个星期以后，她开始感觉到了疲劳。 After weeks of uncertainty, the strain was beginning to take its toll. 几个星期的忐忑不安之后，压力开始让人受不了了。 He broke down under the strain of having to work twelve hours a day. 他在一天工作 12 个小时的压力下崩溃了。 I found it a bit of a strain making conversation with her. 和她谈话我感到有点儿紧张。 It's a real strain having to get up so early! 这么早起床真够受的！ The internet takes the strain out of shopping. 因特网减轻了购物的压力。 The mental strain of sharing an office with Alison was starting to show. 与艾利森共用一间办公室带来的精神压力逐渐开始显现。 the stresses and strains of a long day 漫长的一天的压力和紧张 I found it a strain looking after four children. 我觉得照料四个孩子挺累的。
- [uncountable, countable]
the pressure that is put on something when a physical force stretches, pushes, or pulls it 压力；拉力；张力；应力 - under the strain
The rope broke under the strain. 绳子给拉断了。 - strain on something
You should try not to place too much strain on muscles and joints. 你要尽量不让肌肉和关节太吃力。 The ground here cannot take the strain of a large building. 这块地承受不住大型建筑的压力。 The cable has a 140kg breaking strain (= it will break when it is stretched or pulled by a force greater than this). 这种缆索的断裂应变力为 140 千克。
Extra ExamplesTopics Physics and chemistryc1There's too much strain on the corner of the table. 桌角承受的压力太大了。 a fishing line with a 15lb breaking strain 断裂应变为15 磅的钓线 The ice gave way under the strain. 冰在压力作用下坍塌了。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- enormous
- great
- …
- be under
- come under
- feel
- …
- show
- take its toll (on somebody)
- tell (on somebody)
- …
- under the strain
- strain on
- a bit of a strain
- signs of strain
- stresses and strains
- …
- under the strain
- [countable, uncountable]
an injury to a part of your body, such as a muscle, that is caused by using it too much or by twisting it 劳损；拉伤；扭伤 a calf/groin/leg strain 腿肚子／腹股沟／腿部拉伤 muscle strain 肌肉劳损
Extra ExamplesTopics Illnessc1Sterling will play if he can shake off a slight thigh strain. 如果斯特林能摆脱轻微的大腿拉伤，他将参加比赛。 You'll get eye strain if you don't put the light on. 不开灯，你的眼睛会疲劳。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bad
- slight
- back
- …
- be suffering from
- have
- get
- …
- [countable]
a particular type of plant or animal, or of a disease caused by bacteria, etc. （动、植物的）系，品系，品种；（疾病的）类型 a new strain of mosquitoes resistant to the poison 对这种毒药有抗药性的新品种蚊子 This is only one of the many strains of the disease. 这种病有许多类型，这只是其中之一。 H5N1 is a strain of avian influenza. H5N1 是一种禽流感病毒。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- new
- mutant
- virulent
- …
- discover
- identify
- analyse/analyze
- …
- strain of
- [countable, usually singular]
a particular feature of the character of a person or group, or a quality in their manner 个性特点；性格倾向；禀性 - [countable, usually plural] (formal)
the sound of music being played or sung 乐曲；曲调；旋律 She could hear the strains of Mozart through the window. 她听见从窗户飘出的莫扎特的旋律。 He heard the familiar strains of a tango coming from the club. 他听到俱乐部传来熟悉的探戈舞曲。
pressure压力
injury损伤
type of plant/animal/disease动植物／疾病种类
in somebody’s character性格
of music音乐
Word Originnoun senses 1 to 3 and noun sense 6 Middle English (as a verb): from Old French estreindre, from Latin stringere ‘draw tight’. Current senses of the noun arose in the mid 16th cent. noun senses 4 to 5 Old English strīon ‘acquisition, gain’, of Germanic origin; related to Latin struere ‘to build up’.
Idioms
creak under the strain
if a system or service creaks under the strain, it cannot deal effectively with all the things it is expected to do or provide 因负担过重而效率低下；由于压力过大而运转不灵