strapazieren
Translation
to strain, to wear out, to overtax, to stress
Examples
Strapaziere deine Augen nicht so sehr.
Don't strain your eyes so much.
Die lange Reise hat uns sehr strapaziert.
The long journey really wore us out.
Er strapaziert oft meine Geduld.
He often tries my patience.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to strain sth. Don't strain your eyes so much.
((sb.)) to wear sb. out The long journey really wore us out.
Similar Words
Synonyms: belasten, anstrengen; Antonyms: schonen, entspannen
Etymology
From Italian 'strapazzare' (to mistreat, abuse).
Memory Tips
Sounds a bit like 'strap'. Imagine being strapped down and forced to work, which would be very straining.