This verb means to strain or filter thoroughly, removing tiny particles from liquid. Jesus uses it memorably in Matthew 23:24 when He accuses the scribes and Pharisees of 'straining out a gnat but swallowing a camel'—being meticulously careful about minor ritual matters while ignoring massive moral failures. The image comes from wine-making and water purification practices where gnats or other small impurities were filtered out. Classical Greek used it for careful filtering of wine or other liquids.