straining

In saddlery, leather, canvas, or other fabric drawn over a saddle to form a base for the seating.

a. & n. from strain.

a short piece of timber in a truss, used to maintain the ends of struts or rafters, and keep them from slipping. See Illust. of Queen-post.

Present participle of strain.

The act by which one strains.

taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance

an intense or violent exertion

the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean