4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Stretch  \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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Stretch  \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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Stretch  \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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  stretch 
  adj  1:  having  an  elongated  seating  area;  "a  stretch  limousine" 
  [syn:  {stretch(a)}] 
  2:  easily  stretched;  "stretch  hosiery" 
  n  1:  a  large  and  unbroken  expanse  or  distance;  "a  stretch  of 
  highway";  "a  stretch  of  clear  water" 
  2:  the  act  of  physically  reaching  or  thrusting  out  [syn:  {reach}, 
  {reaching}] 
  3:  (racing)  a  straight  section  of  a  racetrack 
  4:  exercise  designed  to  extend  the  limbs  and  muscles  to  their 
  full  extent  [syn:  {stretching}] 
  5:  extension  to  or  beyond  the  ordinary  limit;  "running  at  full 
  stretch";  "by  no  stretch  of  the  imagination";  "beyond  any 
  stretch  of  his  understanding" 
  6:  an  unbroken  period  of  time  during  which  you  do  something 
  "there  were  stretches  of  boredom";  "he  did  a  stretch  in 
  the  federal  penitentiary"  [syn:  {stint}] 
  7:  the  capacity  for  being  stretched  [syn:  {stretchiness},  {stretchability}] 
  v  1:  occupy  a  large  elongated  area;  "The  park  stretched  beneath 
  the  train  line"  [syn:  {stretch  along}] 
  2:  extend  one's  limbs  or  muscles,  or  the  entire  body;  "Stretch 
  your  legs!"  "Extend  your  right  arm  above  your  head"  [syn: 
  {extend}] 
  3:  extend  or  stretch  out  to  a  greater  or  the  full  length; 
  "Unfold  the  newspaper";  "stretch  out  that  piece  of  cloth"; 
  "extend  the  TV  antenna"  [syn:  {unfold},  {stretch  out},  {extend}] 
  4:  become  longer  by  being  stretched  and  pulled;  "The  fabric 
  stretches"  [ant:  {shrink}] 
  5:  make  long  or  longer  by  pulling  and  stretching;  "stretch  the 
  fabric"  [syn:  {elongate}] 
  6:  lie  down  comfortably;  "To  enjoy  the  picnic,  we  stretched  out 
  on  the  grass"  [syn:  {stretch  out}] 
  7:  pull  in  opposite  directions;  "During  the  Inquisition,  the 
  torturers  would  stretch  their  victims  on  a  rack" 
  8:  extend  the  scope  or  meaning  of  often  unduly:  "Stretch  the 
  limits";  "stretch  my  patience";  "stretch  the  imagination" 
  9:  add  water  to  a  mixture  to  dilute  it  "adulterate  liquor" 
  [syn:  {adulterate},  {water  down},  {dilute},  {debase}] 
  10:  increase  in  quantity  or  bulk  by  adding  a  cheaper  substance; 
  "stretch  the  soup  by  addding  some  more  cream";  "extend 
  the  casserole  with  a  little  rice"  [syn:  {extend}] 
  11:  extend  one's  body  or  limbs;  "Let's  stretch  for  a 
  minute--we've  been  sitting  here  for  over  3  hours"  [syn:  {stretch 
  out}] 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z