straining upon the start
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The game's afoot! Follow your spirit! — SHAKESPEARE. Henry F, ui, I.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “straining upon the start” mean?
The game's afoot! Follow your spirit! — SHAKESPEARE. Henry F, ui, I.
Is “straining upon the start” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.