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   stretch

   /strɛtʃ/

   verb

   • 1. (of something soft or elastic) be made or be capable of being made longer or wider without tearing or breaking: "my jumper stretched in the wash" Similar be elasticbe stretchybe stretchablebe tensile
   • ▪ cause (something) to become longer or wider by pulling it: "stretch the elastic" Similar pullpull outdraw outextendlengthenelongateexpanddistend
   • 2. straighten 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" Similar extendstraightenstraighten outunbendlie downreclinelean backbe recumbentbe prostratebe pronesprawldrape oneselfloungeloll
   • 3. extend or spread over an area or period of time: "the beach stretches for over four miles" Similar extendspreadcontinuerangeunfoldunrollbe unbrokencoverspan
   • ▪ last or cause to last longer than expected: "her nap had stretched to two hours" Similar prolonglengthenmake longerextendextend the duration ofdraw outspin outprotractOpposite shorten
   • ▪ (of finances or resources) be sufficient or adequate for a certain purpose: "my budget won't stretch to a weekend at a health farm" Similar be sufficient forbe enough forcoverreach toaffordhave the money for
   • 4. make great demands on the capacity or resources of: "the cost of the court case has stretched their finances to the limit" Similar put a strain onput great demands onovertaxoverextendbe too much fordrainsap
   • ▪ cause (someone) to make maximum use of their talents or abilities: "it's too easy—it doesn't stretch me"
   • ▪ adapt or extend the scope of (something) in a way that exceeds a reasonable or acceptable limit: informal "to describe her as sweet would be stretching it a bit" Similar bendstraindistortexaggerateoverstateembellishoverdrawinformal:lay it on thick

   noun

   • 1. an act of stretching one's limbs or body: "I got up and had a stretch" Similar reach outhold output outextendoutstretchthrust outstick outprofferofferliterary:outreachOpposite withdraw
   • ▪ the fact or condition of a muscle being stretched: "she could feel the stretch and pull of the muscles in her legs"
   • ▪ the capacity of a material or garment to stretch or be stretched; elasticity: "stretch jeans"
   • ▪ a difficult or demanding task: informal "it was a stretch for me to come up with the rent"
   • 2. a continuous area or expanse of land or water: "a treacherous stretch of road" Similar expanseareatractbeltsweepextentspreadreachlengthdistance
   • ▪ a continuous period of time: "long stretches of time" Similar periodtimespelltermrunstintsessiontour of dutyshift
   • ▪ a period of time spent in prison: informal "a four-year stretch for tax fraud" Similar prison sentencesentenceprison terminformal:rap
   • ▪ a straight part of a racetrack, typically the home straight: North American "he made a promising start, but faded down the stretch"
   • ▪ the distance covered on one tack.
   • 3. a stretch limo: informal "a chauffeur-driven stretch"

   Word Origin Old Englishstreccan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch strekken and German strecken. The noun dates from the late 16th century.

   Derivatives

   • 1. stretchability noun
   • 2. stretchable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 12

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