English Dictionary

stretch

/stɹɛt͡ʃ/

verb

(transitive) To lengthen by pulling. / (intransitive) To lengthen when pulled. / (transitive) To pull tight. / (figuratively, transitive) To get more use than expected from a limited resource.

She likes to stretch her muscles before exercising.

意味（1）

(transitive) To lengthen by pulling.

I stretched the rubber band until it almost broke.

意味（2）

(intransitive) To lengthen when pulled.

The rubber band stretched almost to the breaking point.

意味（3）

(transitive) To pull tight.

First, stretch the skin over the frame of the drum.

意味（4）

(figuratively, transitive) To get more use than expected from a limited resource.

I managed to stretch my coffee supply a few more days.

意味（5）

(figuratively, transitive) To make inaccurate by exaggeration.

To say crossing the street was brave is stretching the meaning of brave considerably.

意味（6）

(intransitive) To extend physically, especially from limit point to limit point.

Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path […]. It twisted and turned,[…]and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn. And, back of the lawn, was a big, old-fashioned house, with piazzas stretching in front of it, and all blazing with lights.

意味（7）

(intransitive, transitive) To extend one’s limbs or another part of the body in order to improve the elasticity of one's muscles

Cats stretch with equal ease and agility beyond the point that breaks a man on the rack.

意味（8）

(intransitive) To extend to a limit point

His mustache stretched all the way to his sideburns.

意味（9）

(transitive) To increase.

Yakubu took advantage of John Ruddy's error to put the visitors back in front, with Chris Samba's header stretching their advantage.

意味（10）

(obsolete, colloquial) To stretch the truth; to exaggerate.

a man apt to stretch in his report of facts

意味（11）

(nautical) To sail by the wind under press of canvas.

The ship stretched to the eastward.

意味（12）

(slang, transitive, archaic) To execute by hanging.

意味（13）

To make great demands on the capacity or resources of something.

By the fullest exploitation of modern signalling, multiple-unit operation and flying and burrowing junctions the S.R. has greatly increased the capacity of its tracks to carry this growing load of peak-hour passengers, but that capacity is now stretched to the limit.