strain every nerve
To expend a maximum amount of effort to do something. I strained every nerve to reach that book on the top shelf, and I still couldn't get it.
strain every nerve
make every possible effort. Nerve is used here in an earlier sense of ‘tendon or sinew’.
strain every ˈnerve/ˈsinew (to do something)
(written) try as hard as you can (to do something): He strained every sinew to help us, but didn’t succeed. strain every nerve
To make every effort.