American English pronunciation

How to pronounce stretch

IPA transcription: [st'ɹɛtʃ]

Hear “stretch” pronounced

[st'ɹɛtʃ]

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[st'ɹɛtʃ]

Quality: 1.00

[st'ɹɛtʃ]

Quality: 1.00

Noun

  • the act of physically reaching or thrusting out

  • a large and unbroken expanse or distance

    “a stretch of highway”

    “a stretch of clear water”

  • a straightaway section of a racetrack

  • exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their full extent

  • extension to or beyond the ordinary limit

    “running at full stretch”

    “by no stretch of the imagination”

    “beyond any stretch of his understanding”

  • an unbroken period of time during which you do something

    “there were stretches of boredom”

    “he did a stretch in the federal penitentiary”

  • the capacity for being stretched

Verb

  • occupy a large, elongated area

    “The park stretched beneath the train line”

  • extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body

    “Stretch your legs!”

    “Extend your right arm above your head”

  • extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length

    “Unfold the newspaper”

    “stretch out that piece of cloth”

    “extend the TV antenna”

  • become longer by being stretched and pulled

    “The fabric stretches”

  • make long or longer by pulling and stretching

    “stretch the fabric”

  • lie down comfortably

    “To enjoy the picnic, we stretched out on the grass”

  • pull in opposite directions

    “During the Inquisition, the torturers would stretch their victims on a rack”

  • extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly

    “Stretch the limits”

    “stretch my patience”

    “stretch the imagination”

  • corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones

    “adulterate liquor”

  • increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance

    “stretch the soup by adding some more cream”

    “extend the casserole with a little rice”

  • extend one's body or limbs

    “Let's stretch for a minute--we've been sitting here for over 3 hours”

Adjective

  • having an elongated seating area

    “a stretch limousine”

  • easily stretched

    “stretch hosiery”

Usage examples

  • Suddenly he stretched out a forefinger.
  • The vast space stretched into the far distance.
  • The initial chart contained nine kicking techniques and six stretching and calisthenic exercises.
  • The desert was all sand in some stretches, and rocky in others.
  • I went stretching my legs clumsily and feeling my way in the dark.
  • It stretches over the Thanlwin River connecting the country's south eastern region with Yangon.
  • I went stretching my legs clumsily and feeling my way in the dark.
  • They were lapping other runners, and Clarke was boxed in down the backstretch.
  • I went stretching my legs clumsily and feeling my way in the dark.
  • The desert was all sand in some stretches, and rocky in others.