Translate stretch | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish Definition of stretch
verb
[no object] 1(of something soft or elastic) be made or be capable of being made longer or wider without tearing or breaking:my sweater stretched in the wash rubber will stretch easily when pulled [with object] cause to do this:stretch the elastic small squares of canvas were stretched over the bamboo frame last or cause to last longer than expected:her nap had stretched to two hours [with object]:stretch your weekend into a mini summer vacation [with object] make great demands on the capacity or resources of:the cost of the court case has stretched their finances to the limit [with object] cause (someone) to make maximum use of their talents or abilities:it’s too easy—it doesn’t stretch me [with object] adapt or extend the scope of (something) in a way that exceeds a reasonable or acceptable limit:to describe her as sweet would be stretching it a bit
2straighten or extend one’s body or a part of one’s body to its full length, typically so as to tighten one’s muscles or in order to reach something:the cat yawned and stretched [with object]:stretching my cramped legs we lay stretched out on the sand
3extend or spread over an area or period of time:the beach stretches for over four miles the long hours of night stretched ahead of her
noun
1an act of stretching one’s limbs or body:I got up and had a stretch the fact or condition of a muscle being stretched:she could feel the stretch and pull of the muscles in her legs Baseball a phase of a pitcher’s delivery, during which the arms are raised above and behind the head. Baseball a shortened form of a pitcher’s windup, typically used to prevent base runners from stealing or gaining a long lead. [usually as modifier] the capacity of a material or garment to stretch or be stretched; elasticity:stretch jeans a difficult or demanding task:it was a stretch for me sometimes to come up with the rent
2a continuous area or expanse of land or water:a treacherous stretch of road a continuous period of time:long stretches of time informal a period of time spent in prison:a four-year stretch for tax fraud chiefly
North American a straight part of a racetrack, typically the homestretch:he made a promising start, but faded down the stretch Sailing the distance covered on one tack.
3 informal a stretch limo:a chauffeur-driven stretch
