strain every nerve
verb1
To make every possible effort to do something; to do one's utmost.
- In this very great emergency one might have expected the Western Region, notwithstanding the considerable difficulties involved in finding paths for a greatly increased Paddington-Wolverhampton train service, to strain every nerve to keep passengers in the trains rather than letting them stray away to the accelerated road services.1960 March, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 174: