| KJ III.iii.46 | [King John to Hubert, of laughter] keep men's eyes / And strain their cheeks to idle merriment [or: stretch] |
| MA IV.i.250 | [Friar to all] to strange sores strangely they strain the cure |
| MV IV.i.181 | [Portia as Balthasar to Shylock] The quality of mercy is not strained |
| RJ II.iii.15 | [Friar alone, of natural things] Nor aught so good but, strained from that fair use, / Revolts from true birth |