<p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>To draw out or extend (oneself, a body, limbs, wings, etc.) to the full length or extent (often followed by out): to stretch oneself out on the ground.</li><li>To hold out, reach forth, or extend (one's arm, head, etc.).</li><li>To extend, spread, or place (something) so as to reach from one point or place to another: to stretch a rope across a road.</li><li>To draw tight or taut: to stretch the strings of a violin.</li><li>To lengthen, widen, distend, or enlarge by tension: to stretch a rubber band.</li><li>Antonyms: shrink, shorten.</li><li>To draw out, extend, or enlarge unduly: The jacket was stretched at the elbows.</li><li>To extend, force, or make serve beyond the normal or proper limits; strain: to stretch the imagination; to stretch the facts; to stretch food to feed extra guests; to stretch money to keep within a budget.</li><li>To extend or strain (oneself) to the utmost, as by intense exertion; tax.</li><li>To increase the quantity of (a beverage, food, paint, etc.) by dilution or admixing: They caught the bartender stretching the gin with water.</li><li>Radio and Television. To prolong or slow down (action or pace) in order not to end too early: to stretch a show; to stretch the action two minutes.</li></ul><p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>An act or instance of stretching.</li><li>The state of being stretched.</li><li>A continuous length, distance, tract, or expanse: a stretch of meadow.</li><li>Synonyms: compass, reach, range.</li><li>Horse Racing. The backstretch or homestretch of a racetrack.</li><li>Baseball. A short windup, usually used to keep base runners from taking too long a lead, in which the pitcher starts the pitching motion with hands together at the waist, raises them to or above the head, brings them back to the waist, and, after a momentary pause, delivers the ball.</li><li>An extent in time; duration: for a stretch of ten years.</li><li>Elasticity or capacity for extension.</li><li>Slang. A term of imprisonment: He's doing a stretch in the pen.</li><li>The act or fact of stretching or extending something beyond reasonable or proper limits: You wouldn't call her a genius by any stretch of the imagination. It's quite a stretch for me to believe his story.</li><li>(initial capital letter) A nickname for a tall, lanky person.</li></ul><p><strong>Adjective</strong></p><ul><li>Made of synthetic or composite yarn having a sufficiently low denier or having been subjected to any of several special mechanical treatments to permit increased elasticity: stretch girdle; stretch pants.</li><li>(of yarn) Modified or twisted so as to afford high elasticity.</li><li>Also stretched.</li><li>Of or relating to a conveyance, as a limousine or airliner, whose seating area is expanded to carry more passengers or afford greater legroom and to allow space for other comforts and amenities.</li></ul>