stretch
    adj 1: having an elongated seating area; "a stretch limousine"
    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, stretch]
    3: a straightaway section of a racetrack
    4: exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their
       full extent [syn: stretch, 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: stretch, stint]
    7: the capacity for being stretched [syn: stretch,
       stretchiness, stretchability]
    v 1: occupy a large, elongated area; "The park stretched beneath
         the train line" [syn: stretch, stretch along]
    2: extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body; "Stretch
       your legs!"; "Extend your right arm above your head" [syn:
       stretch, 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, stretch
       out, extend]
    4: become longer by being stretched and pulled; "The fabric
       stretches" [ant: contract, shrink]
    5: make long or longer by pulling and stretching; "stretch the
       fabric" [syn: elongate, stretch]
    6: lie down comfortably; "To enjoy the picnic, we stretched out
       on the grass" [syn: stretch, 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: corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or
       inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients
       with inferior ones; "adulterate liquor" [syn: load,
       adulterate, stretch, dilute, debase]
    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, stretch]
    11: extend one's body or limbs; "Let's stretch for a minute--
        we've been sitting here for over 3 hours" [syn: stretch,
        stretch out]

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[aum]cka, Dan.
   straekke; cf. AS. straeck, 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.
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            And stretch forth his neck long and small.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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            I in conquest stretched mine arm.     --Shak.
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   2. To draw out to the full length; to cause to extend in a
      straight line; as, to stretch a cord or rope.
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   3. To cause to extend in breadth; to spread; to expand; as,
      to stretch cloth; to stretch the wings.
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   4. To make tense; to tighten; to distend forcibly.
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            The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain.
                                                  --Shak.
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   5. To draw or pull out to greater length; to strain; as, to
      stretch a tendon or muscle.
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            Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve.  --Doddridge.
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   6. To exaggerate; to extend too far; as, to stretch the
      truth; to stretch one's credit.
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            They take up, one day, the most violent and
            stretched prerogative.                --Burke.
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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.
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            As far as stretcheth any ground.      --Gower.
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   2. To extend or spread one's self, or one's limbs; as, the
      lazy man yawns and stretches.
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   3. To be extended, or to bear extension, without breaking, as
      elastic or ductile substances.
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            The inner membrane . . . because it would stretch
            and yield, remained umbroken.         --Boyle.
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   4. To strain the truth; to exaggerate; as, a man apt to
      stretch in his report of facts. [Obs. or Colloq.]
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   5. (Naut.) To sail by the wind under press of canvas; as, the
      ship stretched to the eastward. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
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   Stretch out, an order to rowers to extend themselves
      forward in dipping the oar.
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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.
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            By stretch of arms the distant shore to gain.
                                                  --Dryden.
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            Those put a lawful authority upon the stretch, to
            the abuse of yower, under the color of prerogative.
                                                  --L'Estrange.
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   2. A continuous line or surface; a continuous space of time;
      as, grassy stretches of land.
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            A great stretch of cultivated country. --W. Black.
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            But all of them left me a week at a stretch. --E.
                                                  Eggleston.
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   3. The extent to which anything may be stretched.
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            Quotations, in their utmost stretch, can signify no
            more than that Luther lay under severe agonies of
            mind.                                 --Atterbury.
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            This is the utmost stretch that nature can.
                                                  --Granville.
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   4. (Naut.) The reach or extent of a vessel's progress on one
      tack; a tack or board.
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   5. Course; direction; as, the stretch of seams of coal.
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   To be on the stretch, to be obliged to use one's utmost
      powers.

   Home stretch. See under Home, a.
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