OVERSTRAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does overstrain mean? 

• OVERSTRAIN (noun)
  The noun OVERSTRAIN has 1 sense:

1. too much strain

  Familiarity information: OVERSTRAIN used as a noun is very rare.

• OVERSTRAIN (verb)
  The verb OVERSTRAIN has 1 sense:

1. strain excessively

  Familiarity information: OVERSTRAIN used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OVERSTRAIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Too much strain

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("overstrain" is a kind of...):

strain ((physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces)

Derivation:

overstrain (strain excessively)

• OVERSTRAIN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they overstrain    ... he / she / it overstrains   
Past simple: overstrained   
Past participle: overstrained   
-ing form: overstraining   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Strain excessively

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

overextend; overstrain

Context example:

He overextended himself when he accepted the additional assignment

Hypernyms (to "overstrain" is one way to...):

extend; strain (use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

overstrain (too much strain)

 Context examples 

He said every nerve had been overstrained in some way, and the whole system must sleep torpid a while.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I have no idea of being so overstrained!

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Elinor thought this generosity overstrained, considering her sister's youth, and urged the matter farther, but in vain; common sense, common care, common prudence, were all sunk in Mrs. Dashwood's romantic delicacy.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)