v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stretched p. pr. & vb. n. Stretching. ] [ OE. strecchen, AS. streccan; akin to D. strekken, G. strecken, OHG. strecchen, Sw. sträcka, 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

And stretch forth his neck long and small. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

I in conquest stretched mine arm. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To draw out to the full length; to cause to extend in a straight line; as, to stretch a cord or rope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cause to extend in breadth; to spread; to expand; as, to stretch cloth; to stretch the wings. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To make tense; to tighten; to distend forcibly. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To draw or pull out to greater length; to strain; as, to stretch a tendon or muscle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve. Doddridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To exaggerate; to extend too far; as, to stretch the truth; to stretch one's credit. [ 1913 Webster ]

They take up, one day, the most violent and stretched prerogative. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

As far as stretcheth any ground. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To extend or spread one's self, or one's limbs; as, the lazy man yawns and stretches. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To be extended, or to bear extension, without breaking, as elastic or ductile substances. [ 1913 Webster ]

The inner membrane . . . because it would stretch and yield, remained umbroken. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To strain the truth; to exaggerate; as, a man apt to stretch in his report of facts. [ Obs. or Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Naut.) To sail by the wind under press of canvas; as, the ship stretched to the eastward. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stretch out, an order to rowers to extend themselves forward in dipping the oar. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

By stretch of arms the distant shore to gain. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those put a lawful authority upon the stretch, to the abuse of yower, under the color of prerogative. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A continuous line or surface; a continuous space of time; as, grassy stretches of land. [ 1913 Webster ]

A great stretch of cultivated country. W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

But all of them left me a week at a stretch. E. Eggleston. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The extent to which anything may be stretched. [ 1913 Webster ]

Quotations, in their utmost stretch, can signify no more than that Luther lay under severe agonies of mind. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is the utmost stretch that nature can. Granville. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Naut.) The reach or extent of a vessel's progress on one tack; a tack or board. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Course; direction; as, the stretch of seams of coal. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be on the stretch, to be obliged to use one's utmost powers. --
Home stretch. See under Home, a. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, stretches. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Masonry) A brick or stone laid with its longer dimension in the line of direction of the wall. Gwilt. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arch.) A piece of timber used in building. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Naut.) (a) A narrow crosspiece of the bottom of a boat against which a rower braces his feet. (b) A crosspiece placed between the sides of a boat to keep them apart when hoisted up and griped. Dana. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A litter, or frame, for carrying disabled, wounded, or dead persons. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. An overstretching of the truth; a lie. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

7. One of the rods in an umbrella, attached at one end to one of the ribs, and at the other to the tube sliding upon the handle. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. An instrument for stretching boots or gloves. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. The frame upon which canvas is stretched for a painting. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Stretch, v. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stretching course (Masonry), a course or series of stretchers. See Stretcher, 2. Britton. [ 1913 Webster ]