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Drain vs Strain - What's the difference?

drain | strain |

In intransitive terms the difference between drain and strain

is that drain is to flow gradually while strain is to percolate; to be filtered.

In transitive terms the difference between drain and strain

is that drain is to draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust while strain is to separate solid from liquid by passing through a strainer or colander.

drain

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-03, volume=101, issue=2, page=114, magazine=(American Scientist)
  • , author=Frank Fish, George Lauder , title= Not Just Going with the Flow , passage=An extreme version of vorticity is a vortex . The vortex is a spinning, cyclonic mass of fluid, which can be observed in the rotation of water going down a drain , as well as in smoke rings, tornados and hurricanes.}}
  • An access point or conduit for rainwater that drains directly downstream in a (drainage) basin without going through sewers or water treatment in order to prevent or belay floods.
  • Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.
  • (label) An act of urination.
  • (label) The name of one terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).
  • Derived terms

    * circle the drain * down the drain * drain fly

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To lose liquid.
  • The clogged sink drained slowly.
  • To flow gradually.
  • The water of low ground drains off.
  • (ergative) To cause liquid to flow out of.
  • Please drain the sink. It's full of dirty water.
  • (ergative) To convert a perennially wet place into a dry one.
  • They had to drain the swampy land before the parking lot could be built.
  • To deplete of energy or resources.
  • The stress of this job is really draining me.
  • To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Fountains drain the water from the ground adjacent.
  • * Motley
  • But it was not alone that he drained their treasure and hampered their industry.
  • (obsolete) To filter.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.
  • (pinball) To fall off the bottom of the playfield.
  • * 1990 , Steven A. Schwartz, Compute's Nintendo Secrets
  • When a ball finally drains , it's gulped down by a giant gator beneath the set of flippers.

    Derived terms

    * drainage * drain the lizard (vulgar)

    Anagrams

    *

    strain

    English

    (wikipedia strain)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), (m), (m), .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Treasure.
  • (obsolete) The blood-vessel in the yolk of an egg.
  • (archaic) Race; lineage, pedigree.
  • * Shakespeare
  • He is of a noble strain .
  • * Darwin
  • With animals and plants a cross between different varieties, or between individuals of the same variety but of another strain , gives vigour and fertility to the offspring.
  • Hereditary character, quality, or disposition.
  • There is a strain of madness in her family.
  • * Tillotson
  • Intemperance and lust breed diseases, which, propogated, spoil the strain of nation.
  • A tendency or disposition.
  • (literary) Any sustained note or movement; a song; a distinct portion of an ode or other poem; also, the pervading note, or burden, of a song, poem, oration, book, etc.; theme; motive; manner; style
  • (biology) A particular breed or race of animal, microbe etc.
  • They say this year's flu virus is a particularly virulent strain .
  • (music) A portion of music divided off by a double bar; a complete musical period or sentence; a movement, or any rounded subdivision of a movement.
  • (rare) A kind or sort (of person etc.).
  • * Dryden
  • the common strain

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) estreindre (whence French .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To hold tightly, to clasp.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.ii:
  • So hauing said, her twixt her armes twaine / She straightly straynd , and colled tenderly [...].
  • * Dryden
  • Evander with a close embrace / Strained his departing friend.
  • To apply a force or forces to by stretching out.
  • to strain''' a rope; to '''strain the shrouds of a ship
    Relations between the United States and Guatemala traditionally have been close, although at times strained by human rights and civil/military issues.
  • To damage by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force.
  • The gale strained the timbers of the ship.
  • To act upon, in any way, so as to cause change of form or volume, as when bending a beam.
  • To exert or struggle (to do something), especially to stretch (one's senses, faculties etc.) beyond what is normal or comfortable.
  • Sitting in back, I strained to hear the speaker.
  • * Shakespeare
  • To build his fortune I will strain a little.
  • * Shakespeare
  • He sweats, / Strains his young nerves.
  • * Dryden
  • They strain their warbling throats / To welcome in the spring.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
  • Thus my plight was evil indeed, for I had nothing now to burn to give me light, and knew that 'twas no use setting to grout till I could see to go about it. Moreover, the darkness was of that black kind that is never found beneath the open sky, no, not even on the darkest night, but lurks in close and covered places and strains the eyes in trying to see into it.
  • To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in terms of intent or meaning.
  • to strain the law in order to convict an accused person
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • There can be no other meaning in this expression, however some may pretend to strain it.
  • To tighten (the strings of a musical instrument); to uplift (one’s voice).
  • To separate solid from liquid by passing through a strainer or colander
  • To percolate; to be filtered.
  • water straining through a sandy soil
  • To make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain.
  • * Denham
  • He talks and plays with Fatima, but his mirth / Is forced and strained .
  • * Shakespeare
  • The quality of mercy is not strained .
  • To urge with importunity; to press.
  • to strain a petition or invitation
  • * Shakespeare
  • Note, if your lady strain his entertainment.

    Noun

  • The act of straining, or the state of being strained.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author= Michael Sivak
  • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= Will AC Put a Chill on the Global Energy Supply? , passage=Nevertheless, it is clear that the global energy demand for air-conditioning will grow substantially as nations become more affluent,
  • A violent effort; an excessive and hurtful exertion or tension, as of the muscles.
  • An injury resulting from violent effort; a sprain.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=April 11, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Liverpool 3-0 Man City , passage=Dirk Kuyt sandwiched a goal in between Carroll's double as City endured a night of total misery, with captain Carlos Tevez limping off early on with a hamstring strain that puts a serious question mark over his participation in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Wembley.}}
  • A dimensionless measure of object deformation either referring to engineering strain or true strain.
  • (label) The track of a deer.
  • * 1624 , John Smith, Generall Historie , in Kupperman 1988, p. 145:
  • When they have shot a Deere by land, they follow him like bloud-hounds by the bloud, and straine , and oftentimes so take them.