Pronunciations (2)
-
/stɹɛt͡ʃ/
-
stɹɛtʃ
Verb
To lengthen by pulling.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
-
I stretched the rubber band until it almost broke.
To lengthen when pulled.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
The rubber band stretched almost to the breaking point.
The inner membrane […] because it would stretch and yield, remained unbroken.
To pull tight.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
-
First, stretch the skin over the frame of the drum.
To extend one’s limbs or another part of the body, for example in order to improve the elasticity of one's muscles.
Usage- Intransitive
- Transitive
- Examples
-
I always stretch my muscles before exercising.
When the cat woke up, it yawned and stretched.
To extend physically, especially from a limit point and/or to a limit point.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
The beach stretches from Cresswell to Amble.
More examples (3)
Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path[…]. It twisted and turned,[…]and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn. And, back of the lawn, was a big, old-fashioned house, with piazzas stretching in front of it, and all blazing with lights.
Behind them, stretching in a long line east and west, were the Roan and Book Cliffs, cut to their base by the river's gorge, and meandering away in long wavy lines distorted by heat haze and the smoke of forest fires.
Three varieties of wild rice, O. rufipogon, O. officinalis and O. meyeriana, have been found in China, in a zone stretching from Hainan to Taiwan and from Northern Kwangsi to Ching-hung¹ on the Upper Mekong in Yunnan.
To get more use than expected from a limited resource.
Usage- Figurative
- Transitive
- Examples
-
I managed to stretch my coffee supply a few more days.
To make inaccurate by exaggeration.
Usage- Figurative
- Transitive
- Examples
-
To say crossing the street was brave is stretching the meaning of "brave" considerably.
To say he's been to this park a million times is stretching the numbers. The true number is around 30 or 40.
To make great demands on the capacity or resources of something.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
-
Her bizarre explanation really stretches credulity.
More examples (1)
By the fullest exploitation of modern signalling, multiple-unit operation and flying and burrowing junctions the S.R. has greatly increased the capacity of its tracks to carry this growing load of peak-hour passengers, but that capacity is now stretched to the limit.
To increase.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
-
Yakubu took advantage of John Ruddy's error to put the visitors back in front, with Chris Samba's header stretching their advantage.
To increase, to grow.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
As I sat in the waiting room, the minutes stretched into hours.
Unless we rekindle our communication skills, the 2020s "loneliness epidemic" could stretch into a "solitary century."
To sail by the wind under press of canvas.
- Examples
-
The ship stretched to the eastward.
To make a pulse or particle bunch longer by applying dispersion to it.
Usage- Transitive
- Antonyms
- Examples
-
Diffraction gratings are by far the most common elements used to stretch and compress pulses because of their substantial angular dispersion, […]
To execute by hanging.
Usage- Archaic
- Slang
- Transitive
- Synonyms
To stretch the truth; to exaggerate.
Usage- Colloquial
- Intransitive
- Obsolete
- Examples
-
a man apt to stretch in his report of facts
Noun
An act of stretching.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
I was right in the middle of a stretch when the phone rang.
The ability to lengthen when pulled.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
That rubber band has quite a bit of stretch.
A course of thought which diverts from straightforward logic, or requires extraordinary belief or exaggeration.
Usage- Countable
- idiomatic
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
It's a bit of a stretch to call Boris Karloff a comedian.
To say crossing the street was brave was quite a stretch.
A segment of a journey or route.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
It was an easy trip except for the last stretch, which took forever.
It's a tough stretch of road in the winter, especially without chains.
A segment or length of material.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
a stretch of cloth
A walk.
Usage- UK usage
- Archaic
- Countable
- Slang
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
More examples (1)
In the afternoon I went for a stretch into the country, & about 4 it cleared up pretty well, so I hurried back & we got a cart & drove to Bassano, a little town about 8 miles off, that we wanted to see.
A quick pitching delivery used when runners are on base where the pitcher slides his leg instead of lifting it.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A long reach in the direction of the ball with a foot remaining on the base by a first baseman in order to catch the ball sooner.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Term of address for a tall person.
Usage- Countable
- Informal
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
More examples (1)
“Hey, Stretch,” he shouted at a tall, spectacled co-worker, “turn the fucking station, will you? You know I can't stand Rush, and it's all they play on this one. If I hear those assholes whine 'Tom Sawyer' one more time, I may go on a fucking killing spree.
Amelia: I mean, you're already a dwarf. Gura: Oh, OK, Stretch.
The homestretch, the final straight section of the track leading to the finish.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A length of time.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
After the harvest there was a stretch of clear dry weather, and the animals toiled harder than ever […]
A length of time. Extended daylight hours, especially said of the evening in springtime when compared to the shorter winter days.
Usage- Ireland
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
There is a grand stretch in the evenings.
A length of time. The period of the season between the trade deadline and the beginning of the playoffs.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
More examples (1)
The '42 Cardinals are best known for their amazing stretch run. St. Louis won 43 of their last 51 games and came back from a double-digit deficit in games in early August to edge out the Dodgers for the N.L. flag.
A length of time. A jail or prison term.
Usage- Countable
- Slang
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
"Of course, if Cripps likes to stay here and do a stretch for burglary, well and good."
He did a seven-year stretch in jail.
A length of time. A jail or prison term. A jail or prison term of one year's duration.
Usage- Countable
- Slang
- Uncountable
A length of time. A single uninterrupted sitting; a turn.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Adjective
having an elongated seating area
- Examples
-
a stretch limousine
easily stretched
- Examples
-
stretch hosiery
Noun
a large and unbroken expanse or distance
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
a stretch of highway
a stretch of clear water
the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
a straightaway section of a racetrack
- Broader terms
exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their full extent
- Synonyms
extension to or beyond the ordinary limit
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
running at full stretch
by no stretch of the imagination
More examples (1)
beyond any stretch of his understanding
an unbroken period of time during which you do something
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
there were stretches of boredom
he did a stretch in the federal penitentiary
the capacity for being stretched
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
Verb
occupy a large, elongated area
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
The park stretched beneath the train line
extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
Stretch your legs!
Extend your right arm above your head
extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
Unfold the newspaper
stretch out that piece of cloth
More examples (1)
extend the TV antenna
become longer by being stretched and pulled
- Antonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
The fabric stretches
make long or longer by pulling and stretching
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
stretch the fabric
lie down comfortably
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
To enjoy the picnic, we stretched out on the grass
pull in opposite directions
- Examples
-
During the Inquisition, the torturers would stretch their victims on a rack
extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly
- Examples
-
Stretch the limits
stretch my patience
More examples (1)
stretch the imagination
corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
adulterate liquor
increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
stretch the soup by adding some more cream
extend the casserole with a little rice
extend one's body or limbs
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
Let's stretch for a minute — we've been sitting here for over 3 hours