to draw out or extend (oneself, a body, limbs, wings, etc.) to the full length or extent (often fol. 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.
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.
Radioand 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)
11.
to recline at full length (usually fol. by out): to stretch out on a couch.
12.
to extend the hand or to reach, as for something.
13.
to extend over a distance or area or in a particular direction: The forest stretches for miles.
14.
to extend in time: His memory stretches back to his early childhood.
15.
to stretch oneself by extending the limbs and lengthening the muscles to the utmost: to stretch and yawn.
16.
to become stretched, or admit of being stretched, to greater length, width, etc., as any elastic or ductile material.
17.
Radioand Television. to reduce the pace or slow down the action of a radio or television program.
–noun
18.
an act or instance of stretching.
19.
the state of being stretched.
20.
a continuous length, distance, tract, or expanse: a stretch of meadow.
21.
Horse Racing. the backstretch or homestretch of a racetrack.
22.
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.
23.
an extent in time; duration: for a stretch of ten years.
24.
elasticity or capacity for extension.
25.
Slang. a term of imprisonment: He's doing a stretch in the pen.
26.
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.
27.
(initial capital letter) a nickname for a tall, lanky person.
–adjective
28.
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.
29.
(of yarn) modified or twisted so as to afford high elasticity.
30.
Also, stretched.of or pertaining 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.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME strecchen (v.), OE streccan; c. D strekken, G strecken; akin to OE stræc firm, hard, MD strac stiff. See stare, stark]
To lengthen, widen, or distend: stretched the sweater out of shape.
To cause to extend from one place to another or across a given space: stretched the banner between two poles.
To make taut; tighten: stretched the tarpaulin until it ripped.
To reach or put forth; extend: stretched out his hand.
To extend (oneself or one's limbs, for example) to full length: stretched her calves before running.
To extend (oneself) when lying down: she stretched herself out on the couch.
To put to torture on the rack.
To extend or enlarge beyond the usual or proper limits: stretch the meaning of a word.
To subject to undue strain: to stretch one's patience.
To expand in order to fulfill a larger function: stretch a budget; stretch a paycheck.
To increase the quantity of by admixture or dilution: stretch a meal by thinning the stew.
To wrench or strain (a muscle, for example).
To extend or enlarge beyond the usual or proper limits: stretch the meaning of a word.
To subject to undue strain: to stretch one's patience.
To expand in order to fulfill a larger function: stretch a budget; stretch a paycheck.
To increase the quantity of by admixture or dilution: stretch a meal by thinning the stew.
To expand in order to fulfill a larger function: stretch a budget; stretch a paycheck.
To increase the quantity of by admixture or dilution: stretch a meal by thinning the stew.
To prolong: stretch out an argument.
Informal To fell by a blow: stretched his opponent in the first round.
v.
intr.
To become lengthened, widened, or distended.
To extend or reach over a distance or area or in a given direction: "On both sides of us stretched the wet plain"(Ernest Hemingway).
To lie down at full length: stretched out on the bed.
To extend one's muscles or limbs, as after prolonged sitting or on awakening.
To extend over a given period of time: "This story stretches over a whole generation"(William Golding).
n.
The act of stretching or the state of being stretched.
The extent or scope to which something can be stretched; elasticity.
A continuous or unbroken length, area, or expanse: an empty stretch of highway.
A straight section of a racecourse or track, especially the section leading to the finish line.
A continuous period of time.
Slang A term of imprisonment: served a two-year stretch.
Informal The last stage of an event, period, or process.
Baseball A movement in which a pitcher, standing with the glove side facing home plate, raises both hands to the height of the head and then lowers them to the chest or waist for a short pause before pitching the ball. It is used as an alternative to a wind-up, especially when runners are on base.
adj.
Made of an elastic material that stretches easily: stretch pants.
Of, relating to, or being a vehicle, such as a limousine or passenger jet, having an extended seating area that provides extra space for more passengers, leg room, or amenities.
[Middle English strecchen, from Old English streccan.]
O.E. streccan, from P.Gmc. *strakjanan (cf. Dan. strække, Swed. sträcka, O.Fris. strekka, O.H.G. strecchan, M.L.G., M.Du., O.H.G., Ger. strecken "to stretch"), perhaps a variant of the root of stark, or else from PIE base *strenk- "tight, narrow; pull tight, twist" (see strain). Meaning "to extend (the limbs or wings)" is from c.1205; that of "to lay out for burial" is from c.1225. To stretch one's legs "take a walk" is from 1607. Meaning "to lengthen by force" first recorded 1398; fig. sense of "to enlarge beyond proper limits, exaggerate," is from 1553. Stretch limo first attested 1973. Stretch marks is attested from 1960. Stretcher "canvas frame for carrying the sick or wounded" is first attested 1845.
1541, "act of stretching," from stretch (v.); meaning "unbroken continuance of some activity" is first recorded 1689; meaning "straightaway of a race course" (e.g. home stretch) is recorded from 1841.
having an elongated seating area; "a stretch limousine"
2.
easily stretched; "stretch hosiery"
noun
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]
3.
a straightaway section of a racetrack
4.
exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their full extent
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"
7.
the capacity for being stretched
verb
1.
occupy a large, elongated area; "The park stretched beneath the train line"
2.
extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body; "Stretch your legs!"; "Extend your right arm above your head"
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]
4.
become longer by being stretched and pulled; "The fabric stretches" [ant: contract]
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"
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.
corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones; "adulterate liquor" [syn: load]
10.
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" [syn: extend]
11.
extend one's body or limbs; "Let's stretch for a minute--we've been sitting here for over 3 hours"
to make or become longer or wider especially by pulling or by being pulled Example: She stretched the piece of elastic to its fullest extent; His scarf was so long that it could stretch right across the room; This material stretches; The dog yawned and stretched (itself); He stretched (his arm/hand) up as far as he could, but still could
Arabic:
يُطَوِّل، يَمُد
Chinese (Simplified):
伸展
Chinese (Traditional):
伸展
Czech:
natáhnout (se)
Danish:
strække; række
Dutch:
uitrekken, uitstrekken
Estonian:
veni(ta)ma; ringutama
Finnish:
venyttää, venyä, ulottua
French:
(s')étirer
German:
(sich) strecken
Greek:
τεντώνω, τεντώνομαι, απλώνω, απλώνομαι
Hungarian:
(ki)nyújt; (ki)nyúlik
Icelandic:
teygja(st)
Indonesian:
meregang
Italian:
tirare, allungare, stirarsi
Japanese:
伸ばす
Korean:
펴다, 뻗다, 잡아 늘이다; 늘어나다
Latvian:
stiept; stiepties
Lithuanian:
iš(si)tempti, iš(si)tiesti
Norwegian:
strekke (seg), rekke ut (armen)
Polish:
wy-, prze-, roz— itp. —ciągać (się)
Portuguese (Brazil):
esticar-se
Portuguese (Portugal):
esticar(-se)
Romanian:
a (se) întinde
Russian:
растягивать(ся); тянуть(ся); вытягивать(ся)
Slovak:
natiahnuť (sa)
Slovenian:
raztegniti, stegniti (se)
Spanish:
estirar, extender
Swedish:
tänja (töja) ut
Turkish:
ger(il)mek, genişle(t)mek, uza(t)mak
stretch2[stretʃ]verb
(of land etc) to extend Example: The plain stretched ahead of them for miles.
Arabic:
يَمْتَد
Chinese (Simplified):
伸展
Chinese (Traditional):
伸展
Czech:
rozkládat se
Danish:
strække sig
Dutch:
zich uitstrekken
Estonian:
ulatuma
Finnish:
levittäytyä
French:
s'étendre
German:
sich erstrecken
Greek:
εκτείνομαι
Hungarian:
kiterjed
Icelandic:
ná; teygja, *breiða (úr sér)
Indonesian:
terbentang
Italian:
estendersi
Japanese:
広がる
Korean:
펼쳐지다, 퍼지다
Latvian:
stiepties; plesties
Lithuanian:
tįsoti, driektis
Norwegian:
strekke seg
Polish:
rozciągać się
Portuguese (Brazil):
estender-se
Portuguese (Portugal):
estender-se
Romanian:
a se întinde
Russian:
простираться
Slovak:
rozkladať sa
Slovenian:
raztezati se
Spanish:
extenderse
Swedish:
sträcka sig, bre ut sig
Turkish:
uzanmak
stretch1[stretʃ]noun
an act of stretching or state of being stretched Example: He got out of bed and had a good stretch.
Arabic:
مَد
Chinese (Simplified):
伸展
Chinese (Traditional):
伸展
Czech:
protažení
Danish:
strækken
Dutch:
het zich uitrekken
Estonian:
venitus, venimine; ringutus
Finnish:
venytys
French:
étirement
German:
das Strecken
Greek:
τέντωμα, τάνυσμα
Hungarian:
kinyújtás; nyújtózkodás
Icelandic:
teyging
Indonesian:
peregangan
Italian:
stiracchiata
Japanese:
伸ばすこと
Korean:
신장(伸張), 뻗기, 기지개
Latvian:
staipīšanās; stiepšana
Lithuanian:
rąžymasis, mankšta
Norwegian:
strekk
Polish:
wyciągnięcie się, przeciągnięcie
Portuguese (Brazil):
estiramento
Portuguese (Portugal):
espreguiçadela
Romanian:
întindere
Russian:
вытягивание; потягивание
Slovak:
natiahnutie
Slovenian:
pretegovanje
Spanish:
estiramiento
Swedish:
sträckte på sig
Turkish:
gerinme
stretch2[stretʃ]noun
a continuous extent, of eg a type of country, or of time Example: a pretty stretch of country; a stretch of bad road; a stretch of twenty years
Straight\, a. [Compar. Straighter; superl. Straightest.] [OE. strei?t, properly p. p. of strecchen to stretch, AS. streht, p. p. of streccan to stretch, to extend. See Stretch.]1. Right, in a mathematical sense; passing from one point to another by the nearest course; direct; not deviating or crooked; as, a straight line or course; a straight piece of timber. And the crooked shall be made straight. --Isa. xl. 4. There are many several sorts of crooked lines, but there is only one which is straight. --Dryden. 2. (Bot.) Approximately straight; not much curved; as, straight ribs are such as pass from the base of a leaf to the apex, with a small curve. 3. (Card Playing) Composed of cards which constitute a regular sequence, as the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten-spot; as, a straight hand; a straight flush. 4. Conforming to justice and rectitude; not deviating from truth or fairness; upright; as, straight dealing. 5. Unmixed; undiluted; as, to take liquor straight. [Slang] 6. Making no exceptions or deviations in one's support of the organization and candidates of a political party; as, a straight Republican; a straight Democrat; also, containing the names of all the regularly nominated candidates of a party and no others; as, a straight ballot. [Political Cant, U.S.] Straight arch (Arch.), a form of arch in which the intrados is straight, but with its joints drawn radially, as in a common arch. A straight face, one giving no evidence of merriment or other emotion. A straight line. "That which lies evenly between its extreme points." --Euclid. "The shortest line between two points." --Chauvenet. "A line which has the same direction through its whole length." --Newcomb. Straight-way valve, a valve which, when opened widely, affords a straight passageway, as for water.
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