Ray
Ray noun - A very small amount.
Usage example: the tapping sound ceased, extinguishing the last ray of hope that the trapped miners were still alive
Nearby Words: rayed, raying, raye
Strain
Strain noun - A very small amount.
Usage example: detected a strain of panic in her voice when she asked if the substance was poisonous
How words are described
Both words in one sentence
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Trigger Happy: Tal begins to get like this towards the end due to strain, almost snapping off a red ray of destruction at Crow when he was (uncharacteristically) giving light out of respect.
Source: Literature / The Seventh Tower -
Amulet of Concentrated Awesome: The Battle Balls are the Transformation Trinket that gives Virus Fighters their powers, including, but not limited to, Instant Armor, turning into ray guns and laser blades, and preventing infection by the (normal) strain of the Virus.
Source: Western Animation / Supernoobs -
There are no rays visible, and it's not quite clear whether these are Laser Blades or Ray Guns, but the physical strain and use of "feints, parries, thrusts, in short, all the tricks of the fencing-school" strongly implies the former.
Source: Laser Blade
Cite this Source
Strain and Ray. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 22, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/ray/strain
Ray & Strain. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/ray/strain>.
Strain or Ray. 2016. Accessed July 22, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/ray/strain.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "ray" and "strain" have occurred on timeline