Meaning of stretch In English

• 0 to cause something to reach, often as far as possible, in a particular direction:

  • I tripped on a piece of wire that someone had stretched across the path.

  • She stretched out her hand and helped him from his chair.

  • "I'm so tired," she said, yawning and stretching.

  • It's a good idea to stretch before you do vigorous exercise.

• 1 to spread over a large area or distance:

  • A huge cloud of dense smoke stretched across the horizon.

  • The Andes stretch for 7,250 km along the west coast of South America.

  • Unsettled weather will stretch from the middle Mississippi Valley to the southern Middle Atlantic States.

  • The refugee camps stretch as far as the eye can see.

• 2 to go as far as or past the usual limit of something:

  • Many families' budgets are already stretched to breaking point.

  • We can't work any harder, Paul. We're already fully stretched.

  • This movie really stretches the patience of the audience to the limit.

  • Normally, people under 18 aren't allowed, but I guess we can stretch the rules for you as it's your birthday tomorrow.

• 3 to (cause a material to) become longer or wider than usual as a result of pulling at the edges:

  • an exercise to stretch the leg muscles

  • That elastic band will snap if you stretch it too far.

  • This substance stretches to any shape you want.

  • to stretch fabrics

• 4 to spread over a long period of time:

  • The dispute stretches back over many years.

  • Although we were supposed to finish this month, it looks like the work will stretch well into next year.

  • I'd like to stretch my mortgage payments out over a longer period if possible.

• 5 If jobs or tasks stretch you, they make you learn new things that use your skill and experience more than before:

  • My present job doesn't stretch me, so I'm looking for something more demanding.

  • Previous attempts by the pharmacy to stretch the brand into areas such as dentistry and botox have failed.

  • He said he wanted to stretch the brand into new areas, from selling electronic goods to operating full-service restaurants in stores.

• 6 a continuous area of land or water:

  • This particular stretch of coast is especially popular with hikers.

  • Traffic is at a standstill along a five-mile stretch of the ring-road.

  • Some very rare birds inhabit our stretch of the river.

  • She looked certain to win as she entered the final stretch.

  • He fell as he galloped down the home stretch (= towards the finish).

• 7 an act of stretching:

  • I always have a good stretch when I get up in the morning.

  • This is a really good stretch for your hip flexors.

• 8 the fact that something has gone past its usual limits:

  • His idea may be a stretch, but it's not outside the realm of possibility.

• 9 the degree to which a material can be made longer or wider by pulling:

  • This fabric doesn't have much stretch in it, does it?

• 10 a continuous period of time:

  • The elderly generally need far less rest than the young, and tend to sleep in several short stretches.

  • Her brother's doing a ten-year stretch for armed robbery.

  • There's no way I could work for ten hours at a stretch.

• 11 a job, task, or role that is difficult for someone because it is very different from what they usually do:

  • Playing a budding opera star was not much of a stretch for this classically trained singer.

• 12 to reach across a distance or become longer or wider, or to cause something to do this:

  • [ I ] Rubber stretches when you pull it.

  • [ T ] The banner was stretched across the street.

  • [ M ] He removed his hat and stretched out his arms to embrace her.

  • [ T ] "I’m so tired," she said, yawning and stretching her arms.

• 13 to go beyond, or almost beyond, the usual limit of something:

  • Buying a new dishwasher will really stretch our budget.

  • We try to stretch ourselves in our reading group, picking books we wouldn’t ordinarily read.

• 14 to spread over a large area or distance:

  • A huge cloud of dense smoke stretched across the sky.

• 15 to spread over a long period of time:

  • [ I ] The dispute stretches back over many years.

  • [ M ] I’d like to stretch my mortgage payments out for 30 years.

• 16 an unusual and sometimes difficult situation:

  • Playing two games in two days is a bit of a stretch for us, but I think we’ll make it.

• 17 an area of land or water:

  • Traffic is at a standstill along a five-mile stretch of Route 17 just south of Bridgeport.

• 18 the act of straightening your body, your arms, or your legs so that they are as long as possible:

  • Before jogging, you should always do some stretches.

• 19 a continuous period of time:

  • We had a long stretch of days with sub-zero temperatures last month.

• 20 if money or other resources stretch to something, they are enough to buy or pay for something:

  • MPs and many within the pensions industry are concerned £400m will not stretch far enough.

  • stretch to sth Our budget won't stretch to hiring any new workers.

• 21 to make money or resources last longer than was originally planned:

  • City officials are currently struggling with how to stretch limited water supplies.

• 22 if something stretches money or other resources, it uses nearly all the money or resources available so that there is very little left:

  • be stretched to breaking point/the limit The aviation infrastructure has been stretched to breaking point.

  • be stretched thin When people and funding are stretched thin, companies may find they're not putting enough resources behind the ideas that promise the greatest shareholder returns.

  • stretch a budget/finances The takeover will stretch the company's finances.

• 23 to use a brand that already exists to sell new and different products and services:

  • The company is trying to stretch its brand to cover anything that can be sold online.

• 24 to force someone to use all their intelligence or skills:

  • My current job isn't really stretching me enough.

• 25 used to describe something that you think will be very difficult to achieve, very expensive, etc.:

  • The price tag on the business may prove to be a stretch.

• 26 if you do something for 20 hours, etc. at a stretch, you do it continuously for that period of time:

  • Workers on an oil rig often do 12-hour days for 14 days at a stretch.

• 27 to be working as hard as you possibly can:

  • OPEC members are at full stretch and cannot pump more oil.