Citations:strain

English citations of strain

Noun: "tune, melody"

• 1807, William Wordsworth, Song at the feast of Brougham Castle, lines 3-4:

  The words of ancient time I thus translate, / A festal strain that hath been silent long:

Verb: "to beget"

• The sun straineth light.
  (approx.1225, Homily on the Creed in Cambridge)
• A wife he nam; a son on her he strained.
  (circa 1275, Layamon, The Brut)
• He shall strain on her a swith selely son.
  (circa 1275, Layamon, The Brut)
• Eadie is his spouse, whose maid-hood is unwemmed (unviolated), when he, on her, straineth.
  (circa1225, Hali Meidenhad - Holy Maiden-Hood)
• Our Drighten sent his high angel Gabriel to ..Zachariah.. to say that he should strain a holy child and clepe it John.
  (approx.1225, Homilies in Cambridge)
• Our healand was strained of the heavenly father ere then that heaven or earth shapen (formed) were.
  (approx.1225, Homilies in Cambridge)
• Naked they gan; nis there none of other agramed; ne for their nakedhood ashamed; without lust of sin they strain.
• Thy wife is thine alone, only thou mayest strain on her; no other man may strain on thy wife ne mayest thou strain on a wife of another.