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stretch |
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}]
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