"Let me tell you about my star brother," he said, so softly that the others strained toward him slightly to hear.

Although he continued to smile, Rhodan's voice sounded slightly strained.

They didn't avoid him exactly, but when in his company their con- versation was always slightly strained.

His relationship with his brother is slightly strained because they play the same position, but he still admires him to no end.

However his voice was slightly strained when he spoke: "They have-uh-disappeared since 10 days ago.

"That doesn't solve the problem of exactly where he is," Becka said, her voice sounding slightly strained.

Elsewhere in the program, voices sounded slightly strained and were not helped by the church's dry acoustics.

I refocused, straining slightly, and nodded to myself as I slowed.

His grin was slightly strained and anxious and so were his eyes.

Khan became Kenji's mentor after killing his brother, and the two share a slightly strained, but at the same time, trusting, relationship.