stretch
Americanverb (used with object)
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to draw out or extend (oneself, a body, limbs, wings, etc.) to the full length or extent (often followed byout ).
to stretch oneself out on the ground.
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to hold out, reach forth, or extend (one's arm, head, etc.).
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to extend, spread, or place (something) so as to reach from one point or place to another.
to stretch a rope across a road.
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to draw tight or taut.
to stretch the strings of a violin.
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to lengthen, widen, distend, or enlarge by tension.
to stretch a rubber band.
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to draw out, extend, or enlarge unduly.
The jacket was stretched at the elbows.
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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.
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to extend or strain (oneself ) to the utmost, as by intense exertion; tax.
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to increase the quantity of (a beverage, food, paint, etc.) by dilution or admixing.
They caught the bartender stretching the gin with water.
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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)
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to recline at full length (usually followed byout ).
to stretch out on a couch.
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to extend the hand or to reach, as for something.
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to extend over a distance or area or in a particular direction.
The forest stretches for miles.
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to extend in time.
His memory stretches back to his early childhood.
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to stretch oneself by extending the limbs and lengthening the muscles to the utmost.
to stretch and yawn.
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to become stretched, or admit of being stretched, to greater length, width, etc., as any elastic or ductile material.
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Radio and Television. to reduce the pace or slow down the action of a radio or television program.
noun
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an act or instance of stretching.
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the state of being stretched.
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a continuous length, distance, tract, or expanse.
a stretch of meadow.
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Horse Racing. the backstretch or homestretch of a racetrack.
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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.
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an extent in time; duration.
for a stretch of ten years.
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elasticity or capacity for extension.
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Slang. a term of imprisonment.
He's doing a stretch in the pen.
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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.
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(initial capital letter) a nickname for a tall, lanky person.
adjective
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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.
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(of yarn) modified or twisted so as to afford high elasticity.
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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.
verb
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to draw out or extend or be drawn out or extended in length, area, etc
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to extend or be extended to an undue degree, esp so as to distort or lengthen permanently
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to extend (the limbs, body, etc)
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(tr) to reach or suspend (a rope, etc) from one place to another
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(tr) to draw tight; tighten
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to reach or hold (out); extend
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to extend in time
the course stretched over three months
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(intr; foll by for, over, etc) (of a region, etc) to extend in length or area
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(intr) (esp of a garment) to be capable of expanding, as to a larger size
socks that will stretch
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(tr) to put a great strain upon or extend to the limit
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to injure (a muscle, tendon, ligament, etc) by means of a strain or sprain
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to make do with (limited resources)
to stretch one's budget
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informal (tr) to expand or elaborate (a story, etc) beyond what is credible or acceptable
that's stretching it a bit
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(tr; often passive) to extend, as to the limit of one's abilities or talents
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archaic to hang or be hanged by the neck
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to make a concession or exception not usually made
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to exaggerate
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to take a walk, esp after a period of inactivity
noun
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the act of stretching or state of being stretched
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a large or continuous expanse or distance
a stretch of water
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extent in time, length, area, etc
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capacity for being stretched, as in some garments
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( as modifier )
stretch pants
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horse racing the section or sections of a racecourse that are straight, esp the final straight section leading to the finishing line
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slang a term of imprisonment
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with some difficulty; by making a special effort
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if really necessary or in extreme circumstances
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at one time
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Related Words
See lengthen.
Other Word Forms
- nonstretchable adjective
- prestretch verb (used with object)
- stretchability noun
- stretchable adjective
- unstretchable adjective
- unstretched adjective
- well-stretched adjective
Etymology
Origin of stretch
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Barron’s argued last week that the most likely outcome from the TAE merger is that timelines for fusion technology get stretched out, costs rise, profits prove elusive, and capital gets harder to raise.
From Barron's
Those structures are covered in tiny teeth, creating a mesh stretched across the arches.
From Science Daily
That would mark a first for the Santa Claus rally period as according to data stretching back to 1950, it has never fallen in three consecutive years, notes Dow Jones Market Data.
From MarketWatch
Dollar General also in December highlighted the fact that it is seeing some customers visit its stores more often, but spending less overall as they seek to stretch their dollars.
From MarketWatch
As I crouched behind a rippling fountain, stretching and contorting my body to attain the correct angle, I began to wonder, “Do the Lumineers think I’m some kind of a lunatic?”
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
