strainer

American  

[strey-ner] / ˈstreɪ nər /

noun

1. a person or thing that strains. strain.

2. a filter, sieve, or the like for straining strain liquids.

3. a stretcher or tightener.

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strainer British  

/ ˈstreɪnə /

noun

1. a sieve used for straining sauces, vegetables, tea, etc

2. a gauze or simple filter used to strain liquids

3. a self-locking device or a tool for tightening fencing wire

4. the main post in a wire fence, often diagonally braced

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Etymology

Origin of strainer

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; strain ¹, -er ¹

Compare meaning

How does strainer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• colander vs. strainer
• strainer vs. sifter
• sieve vs. strainer

Example Sentences

Special strainers for grating and juicing tomatoes gained a place among kitchen furnishings.

From The Wall Street Journal

Once the lemon juice is combined with the macerated peels, water and pickle juice are stirred in before the entire mixture is strained using a fine-mesh strainer.

From Salon

For ultra-smooth texture, pass the purée through a fine-mesh strainer — an optional step, but one that brings a dish firmly into restaurant territory.

From Salon

She trimmed jeans threads, cooked savouries, shelled almonds and made tea strainers, door knobs, photo frames and toy guns.

From BBC

This method works with anything with holes, such as a straw hat, a strainer, a cheese grater or even a perforated spoon.

From New York Times

Related Words

• colander
• sieve