strain courtesy

English

Verb

strain courtesy (third-person singular simple present strains courtesy, present participle straining courtesy, simple past and past participle strained courtesy)

To go beyond what courtesy requires; to insist somewhat too much upon the precedence of others.
- c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
  my business was great ; and in such a case as mine , a man may strain courtesy

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