Obs. exc. north. Forms: 1 (ʓe-)stréonan, stríenan, strénan, strínan, (ʓe)strýnan, 2 (i)streonen, (ȝe)strenen, (ȝe)strienen, 2–4 strenen, 3–4 streonen, (3 streonien), 4 strene, 9 dial. strain, strene. [OE. (ʓe)stríenan: see STRAIN sb.1]
† 1. trans. To beget, procreate (offspring). Also with forth: To propagate (one’s kind). Obs.
In OE. also to gain, acquire, which seems to be the primary sense.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. i. § 3. Þa … sceoldon be heora wifum bearna strienan.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. i. 6. Iudas ʓestrynde phares.
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 225. Heo and his wif þa bearn ȝestriende.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 19. Ure helende crist is his onlepi sune noht after chesunge ac after strene for þan he him strende, alse þe sunne streneð liht.
c. 1200. Ormin, 28. Forr all follc wass þatt illke streon þatt Adam haffde strenedd.
c. 1205. Lay., 2502. [Locrine] þe streonede Abren vppen Astrild.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 609, in O. E. Misc., 19. And behinden he hem sampnen ðanne he sulen oðre strenen.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 210. Þeo þet … ei þing dude hwarðuruh no childe ne schulde beon of hire istreoned.
a. 1300. Havelok, 2983. Him stondes wel þat god child strenes.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1380. Hou he is Fader ȝe schullen i-heren, And hou we alle of him i-streoned weren.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIV. 172. And whan þe pocok caukede þer-of ich took kepe, How vn-corteisliche þe cok hus kynde forth strenede.
fig. a. 1225. Ancr. R., 234. Sikernesse streoneð ȝemeleaste.
† b. absol. Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 133. Nis na stude to istreone bicumelic butan ða þe istreonieð beon bispused rihtliche to gedere.
c. 1300. E. E. Psalter lxxii. 27. Þou forlest alle saufe to be þat strenen with-outen þe [L. perdidisti omnes, qui fornicantur abs te].
13[?]. K. Alis., 7057. Withoute lost of synne they streoneth.
c. 1315. Shoreham, Poems, I. 2006. Ac ȝyr þat on þoþren warneþ hys flesch, Ne myȝt[e] hy naut strene.
2. intr. Of dogs, etc.: To copulate. Also trans. (see quot. 1728). (See Eng. Dial. Dict.)
a. 1728. White Kennett (E.D.D.). A dog streneth a bitch. [Durham.]
1820. Wilbraham, Chesh. Gloss., 63. Strain v. expressive of the union of the sexes in the canine race.
1847. Halliwell, Strain, to copulate, said of the cat. Ibid., Strene, to copulate, said of a dog. Durh.
Hence Strening vbl. sb.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 47. I þe streonunge þrof, is on earst hire flesch wið þat fulðe ituked.
c. 1315. Shoreham, Poems, I. 2003. Þat oþer godnesse hys strenyng, Þer me may children wene.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1389. Adam … Fleschliche streoned vs euerichon, Ac þulke fleschliche streonynge Beere vs bale.
