1. appeal
If you appeal to someone to do something, you make a serious and urgent request to them.
e.g. The United Nation has appealed for help from the international community.
2. stitch
If you stitch cloth, you use a needle and thread to join two pieces together or to make a decoration.
e.g. We stitch incessantly.
3. strain
If strain is put on an organisation or system, it has to do more than it is able to do.
e.g. the vast expansion in secondary education is putting an enormous strain on the systems.
