stretch

Meanings

• a large and unbroken expanse or distance
  • "a stretch of highway"
  • "a stretch of clear water"
• the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
• a straightaway section of a racetrack
• exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their full extent
• extension to or beyond the ordinary limit
  • "running at full stretch"
  • "by no stretch of the imagination"
  • "beyond any stretch of his understanding"
• an unbroken period of time during which you do something
  • "there were stretches of boredom"
  • "he did a stretch in the federal penitentiary"
• the capacity for being stretched
• occupy a large, elongated area
  • "The park stretched beneath the train line"
• extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body
  • "Stretch your legs!"
• extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length
  • "stretch out that piece of cloth"
• become longer by being stretched and pulled
  • "The fabric stretches"
• make long or longer by pulling and stretching
  • "stretch the fabric"
• lie down comfortably
  • "To enjoy the picnic, we stretched out on the grass"
• pull in opposite directions
  • "During the Inquisition, the torturers would stretch their victims on a rack"
• extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly
  • "Stretch the limits"
  • "stretch my patience"
  • "stretch the imagination"
• corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
• increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance
  • "stretch the soup by adding some more cream"
• extend one's body or limbs
  • "Let's stretch for a minute--we've been sitting here for over 3 hours"
• having an elongated seating area
  • "a stretch limousine"
• easily stretched
  • "stretch hosiery"

Synonyms

adulterate, debase, dilute, elongate, extend, load, reach, reaching, stint, stretch along, stretch out, stretchability, stretchiness, stretching, unfold