strain a point

verb

To make a special effort; especially, to do a degree of violence to some principle or to one's own feelings.

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Meanings

verbstrain a point (third-person singular simple present strains a point, present participle straining a point, simple past and past participle strained a point)

present singular third person strains a point · participle present straining a point · participle past strained a point · past strained a point

  1. idiomaticTo make a special effort; especially, to do a degree of violence to some principle or to one's own feelings.

    I want you to strain a point, Mr Bellingham, and to do me a service which I assure you you shall never have any cause to regret. I want you to wire instructions down the line to detain this Arab and his companions and to keep them in custody until the receipt of further instructions.

    1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle
Cite this entry
APA

strain a point. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strain%20a%20point

MLA

“strain a point.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strain%20a%20point. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “strain a point,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strain%20a%20point.

Source: strain a point on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.