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Definitions for: Stretch
[n] the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
[n] extension to or beyond the ordinary limit; "running at full stretch"; "by no stretch of the imagination"; "beyond any stretch of his understanding"
[n] exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their full extent
[n] (racing) a straightaway section of a racetrack
[n] the capacity for being stretched
[n] a large and unbroken expanse or distance; "a stretch of highway"; "a stretch of clear water"
[n] an unbroken period of time during which you do something; "there were stretches of boredom"; "he did a stretch in the federal penitentiary"
[adj] easily stretched; "stretch hosiery"
[v] extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body; "Stretch your legs!"; "Extend your right arm above your head"
[v] extend one's body or limbs; "Let's stretch for a minute--we've been sitting here for over 3 hours"
[v] increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance; "stretch the soup by adding some more cream"; "extend the casserole with a little rice"
[v] become longer by being stretched and pulled; "The fabric stretches"
[v] make long or longer by pulling and stretching; "stretch the fabric"
[v] corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones; "adulterate liquor"
[v] extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly; "Stretch the limits"; "stretch my patience"; "stretch the imagination"
[v] pull in opposite directions; "During the Inquisition, the torturers would stretch their victims on a rack"
[v] lie down comfortably; "To enjoy the picnic, we stretched out on the grass"
[v] extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length; "Unfold the newspaper"; "stretch out that piece of cloth"; "extend the TV antenna"
[v] occupy a large, elongated area; "The park stretched beneath the train line"
Webster (1913) Definition: Stretch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stretched; p. pr. & vb.
n. Stretching.] [OE. strecchen, AS. streccan; akin to D.
strekken, G. strecken, OHG. strecchen, Sw. str["a]cka, Dan.
str[ae]kke; cf. AS. str[ae]ck, strec, strong, violent, G.
strack straight; of uncertain origin, perhaps akin to E.
strong. Cf. Straight.]
1. To reach out; to extend; to put forth.
And stretch forth his neck long and small.
--Chaucer.
I in conquest stretched mine arm. --Shak.
2. To draw out to the full length; to cause to extend in a
straight line; as, to stretch a cord or rope.
3. To cause to extend in breadth; to spread; to expand; as,
to stretch cloth; to stretch the wings.
4. To make tense; to tighten; to distend forcibly.
The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain.
--Shak.
5. To draw or pull out to greater length; to strain; as, to
stretch a tendon or muscle.
Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve. --Doddridge.
6. To exaggerate; to extend too far; as, to stretch the
truth; to stretch one's credit.
They take up, one day, the most violent and
stretched prerogative. --Burke.
Stretch, v. i.
1. To be extended; to be drawn out in length or in breadth,
or both; to spread; to reach; as, the iron road stretches
across the continent; the lake stretches over fifty square
miles.
As far as stretcheth any ground. --Gower.
2. To extend or spread one's self, or one's limbs; as, the
lazy man yawns and stretches.
3. To be extended, or to bear extension, without breaking, as
elastic or ductile substances.
The inner membrane . . . because it would stretch
and yield, remained umbroken. --Boyle.
4. To strain the truth; to exaggerate; as, a man apt to
stretch in his report of facts. [Obs. or Colloq.]
5. (Naut.) To sail by the wind under press of canvas; as, the
ship stretched to the eastward. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Stretch out, an order to rowers to extend themselves
forward in dipping the oar.
Stretch, n.
1. Act of stretching, or state of being stretched; reach;
effort; struggle; strain; as, a stretch of the limbs; a
stretch of the imagination.
By stretch of arms the distant shore to gain.
--Dryden.
Those put a lawful authority upon the stretch, to
the abuse of yower, under the color of prerogative.
--L'Estrange.
2. A continuous line or surface; a continuous space of time;
as, grassy stretches of land.
A great stretch of cultivated country. --W. Black.
But all of them left me a week at a stretch. --E.
Eggleston.
3. The extent to which anything may be stretched.
Quotations, in their utmost stretch, can signify no
more than that Luther lay under severe agonies of
mind. --Atterbury.
This is the utmost stretch that nature can.
--Granville.
4. (Naut.) The reach or extent of a vessel's progress on one
tack; a tack or board.
5. Course; direction; as, the stretch of seams of coal.
To be on the stretch, to be obliged to use one's utmost
powers.
Home stretch. See under Home, a.
Synonyms: elastic, elongate, extend, extend, extend, reach, reaching, stint, stretch along, stretch out, stretchability, stretchiness, stretching, unfold
Antonyms: contract, shrink
See Also: be, broaden, change form, change shape, continuance, corrupt, crane, deform, doctor, doctor up, draw, duration, elasticity, exercise, exercising, expanse, extension, force, give, grow, homestretch, increase, lengthen, lie, lie down, motility, motion, move, move, movement, outreach, pandiculation, physical exercise, physical exertion, pull, pull back, racecourse, racetrack, raceway, slack, sophisticate, spoil, spread-eagle, straight, straightaway, strain, stretch out, tense, tense up, track, water down, widen, workout, yield
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