stretch

/stɹɛtʃ/
adjective
  1. Made of material that can be pulled longer or wider and then return to its original shape; elastic.
    • She bought a pair of stretch jeans for comfort.
    • Stretch cotton is perfect for activewear.
    • The stretch fabric in these gloves allows a better grip.
verb
  1. To pull something to make it longer or wider, or to become longer or wider when pulled.
    • She stretched the rubber band until it snapped.
    • He stretched the canvas tightly over the wooden frame.
    • The fabric stretches easily, so the shirt fits many sizes.
  2. To extend your body or a part of your body to its full length, especially to relax muscles.
    • Remember to stretch before you exercise to prevent injury.
    • I always stretch my legs after sitting for a long time.
    • The cat stretched lazily in the sun.
  3. To spread over a large area or distance.
    • The forest stretches all the way to the mountains.
    • Her career as a teacher stretched over thirty years.
    • The sandy beach stretches for miles along the coast.
  4. To make something last longer than usual or to use limited resources carefully.
    • She stretched her paycheck by cooking at home.
    • The coach stretched the practice time by an extra hour.
    • We need to stretch our food supplies until the next delivery.
  5. To go beyond a normal or acceptable limit; to exaggerate or strain.
    • His patience was stretched to the breaking point.
    • That story stretches the truth a little too far.
    • Don't stretch the rules just because you're in a hurry.
noun
  1. An act of straightening or extending your body or a part of your body.
    • The yoga class ended with a gentle full-body stretch.
    • A good morning stretch helps wake up your muscles.
    • He did a few stretches before the race.
  2. A continuous area or length of something, such as land, road, or time.
    • We drove along a beautiful stretch of coastline.
    • He worked for a stretch of ten hours without a break.
    • There is a long stretch of highway with no gas stations.
  3. The ability of a material to be pulled longer or wider without breaking.
    • This fabric has good stretch, so it's comfortable to wear.
    • Yoga pants are popular because of their four-way stretch.
    • The elastic waistband provides plenty of stretch.
  4. A difficult or demanding period or task.
    • The last stretch of the hike was uphill and exhausting.
    • The final stretch of the marathon was the hardest.
    • Finishing the project was a real stretch for the team.
What does "stretch" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean