| Main Entry: | strain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stretch, often to limit |
| Synonyms: | constrict, distend, distort, draw tight, drive, exert, extend, fatigue, injure, overexert, overtax, overwork, pull, push, push to the limit, rack, sprain, task, tauten, tax, tear, tighten, tire, twist, weaken, wrench |
| Notes: | a sprain involves one or more ligaments; a strain involves a tendon or muscle |
| Antonyms: | compress, concentrate |
| Main Entry: | strain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | work very hard |
| Synonyms: | bear down, endeavor, exert, go all out, go for broke, grind, hammer, hustle, labor, moil, peg away, plug, push, strive, struggle, sweat, toll, try |
| Antonyms: | idle, laze, rest |
| Main Entry: | strain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | filter |
| Synonyms: | exude, percolate, purify, refine, riddle, screen, seep, separate, sieve, sift |
| Main Entry: | strain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause mental stress |
| Synonyms: | distress, harass, hassle, irk, pain, pick at, push, stress, trouble, try |
| Antonyms: | calm, placate, soothe |
| Main Entry: | strained |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | forced, pretended |
| Synonyms: | artificial, at end of rope, awkward, choked, constrained, difficult, embarrassed, false, farfetched, hard put, in a state, labored, nervous wreck, put, self-conscious, stiff, strung out, taut, tense, tight, uncomfortable, uneasy, unglued, unnatural, unrelaxed, uptight, wired, wreck* |
| Antonyms: | genuine, unforced |
| Main Entry: | agonize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | suffer or cause another to suffer |
| Synonyms: | afflict, bleed, carry on, crucify, distress, disturb, eat heart out, excruciate, harrow, hurt, labor, lament, martyr, pain, rack, sing the blues, squirm, stew over, strain, strive, struggle, take it badly, torment, torture, try, wince, worry, writhe |
| Antonyms: | not worry |
| Main Entry: | burden |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | encumber, strain |
| Synonyms: | afflict, bear down on, bother, crush, cumber, depress, dish it out, dish out, dump on, encumber, give it to, hamper, handicap, hinder, impede, lade, load, make heavy, obligate, oppress, overcharge, overload, overwhelm, pile, press, saddle with, snow under, snow*, stick it to, strain, tax, trouble, try, vex, weigh down, worry |
| Antonyms: | aid, help, relieve |
| Main Entry: | contrived |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | overly planned |
| Synonyms: | affected, artificial, elaborate, fake, false, forced, labored, manipulated, overdone, phony, recherché, strained, unnatural, unspontaneous |
| Main Entry: | demur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disagree |
| Synonyms: | balk, cavil, challenge, combat, complain, deprecate, disapprove, dispute, doubt, fight, hem and haw, hesitate, object, oppose, pause, protest, pussyfoot, refuse, remonstrate, resist, scruple, shy, stick, stickle, strain, take exception, vacillate, wait and see, waver |
| Notes: | demur is the verb 'to object or voice opposition' while demure is the adjective meaning 'modest, shy' |
| Antonyms: | accept, agree, consent, go along |
| Main Entry: | dip |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | scoop, ladle |
| Synonyms: | bail, bale, bucket, decant, dish, draft off, draw, draw out, dredge, handle, lade, lift, offer, reach into, shovel, spoon, strain |