English Reference
Idiom idiom

strain a point


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

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

I will strain a point to help you today.

CONTEXTUAL

The rules are strict, but the manager might strain a point if you explain your situation clearly.

COMPLEX

Although the committee usually demands absolute adherence to protocol, they decided to strain a point in this instance to accommodate the urgent nature of the request.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    all points of the compass

    Every direction; everywhere.

  2. 02

    beside the point

    Irrelevant, moot.

  3. 03

    boiling point

    The state of being heated, with high aggression.

  4. 04

    brownie point

    Credit or praise for good work or a good deed, often for the express purpose of currying favor.

  5. 05

    get the point

    To understand; to interpret correctly.

  6. 06

    get to the point

    To state (something) directly; as opposed to in a long-winded way.

  7. 07

    labour the point

    To continue to discuss or explain something excessively or repetitively to the point that it may bore or annoy the listener.

  8. 08

    make a point

    To argue or promote an idea.

Last updated August 10, 2026