overstrain

verb

over·strain | \ ˌō-vər-ˈstrān

How to pronounce overstrain (audio)

\

overstrained; overstraining

Definition of overstrain

transitive verb

: to strain (someone or something) beyond a maximum tolerable limit overstrained herself on the treadmill overstrain a muscle overstrained the steel, which developed a crack He said every nerve had been overstrained in some way, and the whole system must sleep torpid a while.— Charlotte Brontë … officials said the aid would be focused only on its banking sector … That would be crucial to avoid overstraining the eurozone's rescue funds …— Luke Baker and Annika Breidthardt She doesn't overstrain the metaphor …— Mark O'Connell

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about overstrain

Dictionary Entries near overstrain

Statistics for overstrain

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for overstrain

The first known use of overstrain was in 1578

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for overstrain

overstrain

noun

over·strain | \ -ˈstrān

\

Medical Definition of overstrain

: excessive mental or physical strain also : a condition resulting from this

Comments on overstrain

What made you want to look up overstrain? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

hobbyhorse

a topic to which one constantly reverts

Test Your Vocabulary

Where in the World? A Quiz

What language does pajama come from?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ