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general::
adj. worried and tense VERBS be, feel, look, seem, sound ADV. very | a bit, a little, rather She looked rather strained and miserable. not natural or friendly VERBS be | become, grow | remain The atmosphere remained somewhat strained all evening. ADV. extremely, severely, very Relations between the two countries had become severely strained. | increasingly | a bit, a little, rather, slightly, somewhat
Oxford Collocations Dictionary