1. In Biology and Genetics:
* Strain: A genetic variant or sub-population of an organism that has distinct characteristics. These characteristics can be visible, like color or size, or they can be invisible, like resistance to a disease.
* Example: "A new strain of bacteria has emerged that is resistant to antibiotics."
2. In Engineering and Materials Science:
* Strain: A measure of deformation of a material. It is defined as the change in length divided by the original length.
* Example: "The strain in the steel beam under load is 0.001."
3. In general usage:
* Strain: Stress or pressure, often emotional.
* Example: "The long journey put a strain on everyone."
To understand the correct definition of "strain" in a specific context, consider the surrounding words and the topic being discussed.