verb
stretch
strehch
verb
1
To pull or extend something so it becomes longer or tighter.
"She stretched the elastic band until it snapped."
2
To extend one's own body or limbs, often to loosen muscles.
"He stretched before going for his morning run."
3
To make a limited resource or piece of information go further than it comfortably should.
"They had to stretch their budget to cover the extra costs."
"That claim really stretches the truth."
noun
1
A continuous extent of time or distance.
"It was a long, empty stretch of highway."
How to Use Stretch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo pull something longer, extend your muscles, or make something (money, time, the truth) go further than normal.
Common pairings
stretch a muscle
a stretch of road
stretch the truth
home stretch
Word Forms
stretched past tense, straught past tense, straight past tense, stretches singular
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She _____ the elastic band until it snapped.
Etymology
From Old English streċċan, meaning to extend or spread out, from a Proto-Germanic root related to being taut or rigid — the same root gives us "stark."