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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Stretch \Stretch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stretched}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Stretching}.] [OE. strecchen, AS. streccan; akin to D.
strekken, G. strecken, OHG. strecchen, Sw. str[aum]cka, Dan.
straekke; cf. AS. straeck, strec, strong, violent, G. strack
straight; of uncertain origin, perhaps akin to E. strong. Cf.
{Straight}.]
1. To reach out; to extend; to put forth.
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And stretch forth his neck long and small.
--Chaucer.
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I in conquest stretched mine arm. --Shak.
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2. To draw out to the full length; to cause to extend in a
straight line; as, to stretch a cord or rope.
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3. To cause to extend in breadth; to spread; to expand; as,
to stretch cloth; to stretch the wings.
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4. To make tense; to tighten; to distend forcibly.
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The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain.
--Shak.
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5. To draw or pull out to greater length; to strain; as, to
stretch a tendon or muscle.
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Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve. --Doddridge.
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6. To exaggerate; to extend too far; as, to stretch the
truth; to stretch one's credit.
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They take up, one day, the most violent and
stretched prerogative. --Burke.
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Stretch \Stretch\, v. i.
1. To be extended; to be drawn out in length or in breadth,
or both; to spread; to reach; as, the iron road stretches
across the continent; the lake stretches over fifty square
miles.
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As far as stretcheth any ground. --Gower.
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2. To extend or spread one's self, or one's limbs; as, the
lazy man yawns and stretches.
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3. To be extended, or to bear extension, without breaking, as
elastic or ductile substances.
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The inner membrane . . . because it would stretch
and yield, remained umbroken. --Boyle.
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4. To strain the truth; to exaggerate; as, a man apt to
stretch in his report of facts. [Obs. or Colloq.]
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5. (Naut.) To sail by the wind under press of canvas; as, the
ship stretched to the eastward. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
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{Stretch out}, an order to rowers to extend themselves
forward in dipping the oar.
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Stretch \Stretch\, n.
1. Act of stretching, or state of being stretched; reach;
effort; struggle; strain; as, a stretch of the limbs; a
stretch of the imagination.
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By stretch of arms the distant shore to gain.
--Dryden.
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Those put a lawful authority upon the stretch, to
the abuse of yower, under the color of prerogative.
--L'Estrange.
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2. A continuous line or surface; a continuous space of time;
as, grassy stretches of land.
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A great stretch of cultivated country. --W. Black.
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But all of them left me a week at a stretch. --E.
Eggleston.
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3. The extent to which anything may be stretched.
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Quotations, in their utmost stretch, can signify no
more than that Luther lay under severe agonies of
mind. --Atterbury.
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This is the utmost stretch that nature can.
--Granville.
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4. (Naut.) The reach or extent of a vessel's progress on one
tack; a tack or board.
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5. Course; direction; as, the stretch of seams of coal.
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{To be on the stretch}, to be obliged to use one's utmost
powers.

{Home stretch}. See under {Home}, a.
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