stretch

[ strech ]

verb (used with object)

1. to draw out or extend (oneself, a body, limbs, wings, etc.) to the full length or extent (often followed by out ):

   to stretch oneself out on the ground.

2. to hold out, reach forth, or extend (one's arm, head, etc.).
3. to extend, spread, or place (something) so as to reach from one point or place to another:

   to stretch a rope across a road.

4. to draw tight or taut:

   to stretch the strings of a violin.

5. to lengthen, widen, distend, or enlarge by tension:

   to stretch a rubber band.

   Antonyms: shrink, shorten

6. to draw out, extend, or enlarge unduly:

   The jacket was stretched at the elbows.

7. to extend, force, or make serve beyond the normal or proper limits; strain:

   to stretch the imagination; to stretch the facts; to stretch food to feed extra guests; to stretch money to keep within a budget.

8. to extend or strain (oneself ) to the utmost, as by intense exertion; tax.
9. to increase the quantity of (a beverage, food, paint, etc.) by dilution or admixing:

   They caught the bartender stretching the gin with water.

10. Radio and Television. to prolong or slow down (action or pace) in order not to end too early:

    to stretch a show; to stretch the action two minutes.

verb (used without object)

1. to recline at full length (usually followed by out ):

   to stretch out on a couch.

2. to extend the hand or to reach, as for something.
3. to extend over a distance or area or in a particular direction:

   The forest stretches for miles.

4. to extend in time:

   His memory stretches back to his early childhood.

5. to stretch oneself by extending the limbs and lengthening the muscles to the utmost:

   to stretch and yawn.

6. to become stretched, or admit of being stretched, to greater length, width, etc., as any elastic or ductile material.

   Antonyms: shrink, shorten

7. Radio and Television. to reduce the pace or slow down the action of a radio or television program.

noun

1. an act or instance of stretching.
2. the state of being stretched.
3. a continuous length, distance, tract, or expanse:

   a stretch of meadow.

   Synonyms: compass, reach, range

4. Horse Racing. the backstretch or homestretch of a racetrack.
5. Baseball. a short windup, usually used to keep base runners from taking too long a lead, in which the pitcher starts the pitching motion with hands together at the waist, raises them to or above the head, brings them back to the waist, and, after a momentary pause, delivers the ball.
6. an extent in time; duration:

   for a stretch of ten years.

7. elasticity or capacity for extension.
8. Slang. a term of imprisonment:

   He's doing a stretch in the pen.

9. the act or fact of stretching or extending something beyond reasonable or proper limits:

   You wouldn't call her a genius by any stretch of the imagination. It's quite a stretch for me to believe his story.

10. (initial capital letter) a nickname for a tall, lanky person.

adjective

1. made of synthetic or composite yarn having a sufficiently low denier or having been subjected to any of several special mechanical treatments to permit increased elasticity:

   stretch girdle; stretch pants.

2. (of yarn) modified or twisted so as to afford high elasticity.
3. Also stretched. of or relating to a conveyance, as a limousine or airliner, whose seating area is expanded to carry more passengers or afford greater legroom and to allow space for other comforts and amenities.

stretch

/ strɛtʃ /

verb

1. to draw out or extend or be drawn out or extended in length, area, etc
2. to extend or be extended to an undue degree, esp so as to distort or lengthen permanently
3. to extend (the limbs, body, etc)
4. tr to reach or suspend (a rope, etc) from one place to another
5. tr to draw tight; tighten
6. often foll byout, forward, etc to reach or hold (out); extend
7. intrusually foll byover to extend in time

   the course stretched over three months

8. intr; foll by for, over, etc (of a region, etc) to extend in length or area
9. intr (esp of a garment) to be capable of expanding, as to a larger size

   socks that will stretch

10. tr to put a great strain upon or extend to the limit
11. to injure (a muscle, tendon, ligament, etc) by means of a strain or sprain
12. troften foll byout to make do with (limited resources)

    to stretch one's budget

13. informal.
    tr to expand or elaborate (a story, etc) beyond what is credible or acceptable

    that's stretching it a bit

14. tr; often passive to extend, as to the limit of one's abilities or talents
15. archaic.
    to hang or be hanged by the neck
16. stretch a point
    stretch a point
    1. to make a concession or exception not usually made
    2. to exaggerate
17. stretch one's legs
    stretch one's legs to take a walk, esp after a period of inactivity

noun

1. the act of stretching or state of being stretched
2. a large or continuous expanse or distance

   a stretch of water

3. extent in time, length, area, etc
4. 1. capacity for being stretched, as in some garments
   2. ( as modifier )

      stretch pants

5. horse racing the section or sections of a racecourse that are straight, esp the final straight section leading to the finishing line
6. slang.
   a term of imprisonment
7. at a stretch
   at a stretch
   1. with some difficulty; by making a special effort
   2. if really necessary or in extreme circumstances
   3. at one time

Derived Forms

• ˌstretchaˈbility, noun
• ˈstretchable, adjective

Other Words From

• stretcha·ble adjective
• stretcha·bili·ty noun
• non·stretcha·ble adjective
• pre·stretch verb (used with object) noun
• un·stretcha·ble adjective
• un·stretched adjective
• well-stretched adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stretch¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English strecchen (verb), Old English streccan; cognate with Dutch strekken, German strecken; akin to Old English stræc “firm, hard,” Middle Dutch strac “stiff.” See stare, stark

Word History and Origins

Origin of stretch¹

Old English streccan; related to Old Frisian strekka, Old High German strecken; see straight , strake

Idioms and Phrases

• at a stretch
• by any stretch

Synonym Study

See lengthen.

Example Sentences

Graham is being far outspent by Harrison, who has raised a stunning $29 million and has about $10 million for the final stretch.

From Washington Post

Now, the season starts around May and routinely extends to November—sometimes even stretching to December.

From Popular-Science

If it’s fairly straight, hamstring stretches are going to give you the best benefit.

From Popular-Science

Democratic leaders stand by that proposal to bring back the weekly $600 enhanced unemployment benefit—which stretched from late March to late July.

From Fortune

Some of the Nats’ stretch-run problems aren’t fixable, either.

From FiveThirtyEight

The plan is to stretch it out as long as possible, then probably forget about it, and then suddenly remember it.

From The Daily Beast

“You need to stretch kids slightly outside their comfort zones, but never have surprises,” she said.

From The Daily Beast

They started with Not Fade Away and went from one song to another over a 14 minute stretch.

From The Daily Beast

The farmers in the area told Ledu that what normally fed them for one year would barely stretch for the next few months.

From The Daily Beast

In the final stretch of the campaign, Gotauco, the Healey volunteer, recorded a song she titled "Integrity in A-Minor."

From The Daily Beast

I could see only the stretch of green before me, and I felt as if I must walk on forever, without coming to the end of it.

From Project Gutenberg

A long stretch of smooth ice followed, over which he glided with ever-increasing speed.

From Project Gutenberg

The hut was barely high enough to let him sit up, and long enough to let him lie down—not to stretch out.

From Project Gutenberg

He had perhaps placed in her hand the weapon that should hasten his own defeat, stretch him bleeding on the sand.

From Project Gutenberg

Twenty minutes jogging brought us into a stretch of rough country, a series of knobs and ridges cut by innumerable coulées.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• area
• bridge
• distance
• length
• radius
• region
• span
• sweep
• tract