stretch

stretch¹ W3S3 [stretʃ] v

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1¦(make something bigger/looser)¦

2¦(body)¦

3¦(reach)¦

4¦(make something tight)¦

5¦(time/series)¦

6¦(in space)¦

7 stretch your legs

8 stretch (somebody's) patience/credulity

9¦(rule/limit)¦

10 stretch the truth/facts

11 be stretching it

12¦(food/money)¦

13 be stretched (to the limit)

14 not stretch to something

15¦(abilities)¦

Phrasal verbs

　stretch out

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[: Old English; Origin: streccan]

1.) ¦(MAKE SOMETHING BIGGER/LOOSER)¦

a) [I and T]

to make something bigger or looser by pulling it, or to become bigger or looser as a result of being pulled

▪ A spider's web can stretch considerably without weakening.

▪ Where can I buy those things that stretch your shoes?

b) [I not in progressive]

if a material stretches, it can become bigger or longer when you pull it and then return to its original shape when you stop

2.) ¦(BODY)¦ [I and T]

to straighten your arms, legs, or body to full length

▪ Carl sat up in bed, yawned, and stretched.

▪ Always stretch before exercising.

3.) ¦(REACH)¦ [I always +adverb/preposition]

to reach a long way for something

stretch across/over

▪ Ann stretched across the couch and grabbed the phone.

4.) ¦(MAKE SOMETHING TIGHT)¦ [T]

to pull something so that it is tight

▪ The canvas is stretched over a wooden frame.

5.) ¦(TIME/SERIES)¦ [I,T always + adverb/preposition]

to continue over a period of time or in a series, or make something do this

stretch into/on/over etc

▪ Berg's career as a government official stretched over twenty years.

▪ With a goal in the second half, Spurs stretched their lead to 3-0.

6.) ¦(IN SPACE)¦ [I always + adverb/preposition]

to spread out or cover a large area of land

stretch to/into/away etc

▪ Row after row of orange trees stretched to the horizon.

▪ a line stretching around the block

7.) stretch your legs informal

to go for a walk, especially after sitting for a long time

8.) stretch (sb's) patience/credulity

to be almost beyond the limits of what someone can accept or believe

▪ The kids stretch my patience to the limit.

9.) ¦(RULE/LIMIT)¦ [T]

BrE to allow something that would not normally be allowed by a rule or limit

▪ This once I'll stretch the rules and let you leave work early.

▪ We'll stretch a point (=allow a rule to be broken) and let the baby travel free this time.

→stretch the rules at ↑rule¹ (1)

10.) stretch the truth/facts

to say or write something that is not completely true

▪ Reporters sometimes stretch the facts to make a point.

11.) be stretching it informal

to make something seem more important, bigger etc than it really is

▪ He's a good player, but 'world class' is stretching it.

12.) ¦(FOOD/MONEY)¦ [I and T]

if you make an amount of money, food etc stretch or it stretches, you use less of it than you usually would so that you have it for a longer time

▪ I'm going to have to stretch this $20 until payday.

13.) be stretched (to the limit)

to have hardly enough money, supplies, time etc for your needs

▪ We're stretched at the moment, otherwise we'd go.

14.) not stretch to sth

BrE if someone's money will not stretch to something, they cannot afford it

▪ The budget won't stretch to a new car this year.

15.) ¦(ABILITIES)¦ [T]

to make someone use all of their skill, abilities, or intelligence

▪ The work's too easy. The students aren't being stretched enough.

stretch out phr v

1.) informal to lie down, usually in order to sleep or rest

▪ I'm just going to stretch out on the couch for ten minutes.

2.) stretch sth<=>out

to put out your hand, foot etc in order to reach something

▪ Jimmy stretched out his hand to take the candy.

stretch ²

stretch² n

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1¦(length of land/water)¦

2¦(time)¦

3¦(body)¦

4 by any stretch (of the imagination)

5 the home/final stretch

6¦(material)¦

7 at full stretch

8¦(jail)¦

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1.) ¦(LENGTH OF LAND/WATER)¦

an area of land or water, especially one that is long and narrow

stretch of

▪ a beautiful stretch of countryside

2.) ¦(TIME)¦

a continuous period of time

stretch of

▪ a stretch of three weeks without sunshine

▪ She doesn't leave the house for long stretches of time .

▪ She rarely sleeps for eight hours at a stretch (=without stopping) .

3.) ¦(BODY)¦

the action of stretching a part of your body out to its full length, or a particular way of doing this

▪ The ski instructor showed us some special stretches.

4.) by any stretch (of the imagination)

spoken used to emphasize that a negative statement is true

▪ My family wasn't wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.

5.) the home/final stretch

a) the last part of a track before the end of a race

b) the last part of an activity, trip, or process

▪ As they enter the home stretch of the campaign, the President's lead has grown.

6.) ¦(MATERIAL)¦[U]

the ability a material has to increase in length or width without tearing

→↑stretchy

7.) at full stretchBrE

a) using everything that is available

▪ With staff shortages and appalling weather conditions, the emergency services were at full stretch.

b) with your body or part of your body stretched as far as possible

▪ He dived and caught the ball at full stretch.

8.) ¦(JAIL)¦ [C usually singular] informal

a period of time spent in prison

stretch ³

stretch³ adj [only before noun]

stretch clothes or material stretch if you pull them and then return to their original shape

▪ stretch levis