Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

            As far as stretcheth any ground.      --Gower.

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

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

            The inner membrane . . . because it would stretch
            and yield, remained umbroken.         --Boyle.

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

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

   {Stretch out}, an order to rowers to extend themselves
      forward in dipping the oar.

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["a]cka, Dan.
   str[ae]kke; cf. AS. str[ae]ck, 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.

            And stretch forth his neck long and small.
                                                  --Chaucer.

            I in conquest stretched mine arm.     --Shak.

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

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

   4. To make tense; to tighten; to distend forcibly.

            The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain.
                                                  --Shak.

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

            Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve.  --Doddridge.

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

            They take up, one day, the most violent and
            stretched prerogative.                --Burke.

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.

            By stretch of arms the distant shore to gain.
                                                  --Dryden.

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

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

            A great stretch of cultivated country. --W. Black.

            But all of them left me a week at a stretch. --E.
                                                  Eggleston.

   3. The extent to which anything may be stretched.

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

            This is the utmost stretch that nature can.
                                                  --Granville.

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

   5. Course; direction; as, the stretch of seams of coal.

   {To be on the stretch}, to be obliged to use one's utmost
      powers.

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

Source : WordNet®

stretch
     adj 1: having an elongated seating area; "a stretch limousine"
            [syn: {stretch(a)}]
     2: easily stretched; "stretch hosiery"

stretch
     n 1: a large and unbroken expanse or distance; "a stretch of
          highway"; "a stretch of clear water"
     2: the act of physically reaching or thrusting out [syn: {reach},
         {reaching}]
     3: a straightaway section of a racetrack
     4: exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their
        full extent [syn: {stretching}]
     5: extension to or beyond the ordinary limit; "running at full
        stretch"; "by no stretch of the imagination"; "beyond any
        stretch of his understanding"
     6: an unbroken period of time during which you do something;
        "there were stretches of boredom"; "he did a stretch in
        the federal penitentiary" [syn: {stint}]
     7: the capacity for being stretched [syn: {stretchiness}, {stretchability}]

stretch
     v 1: occupy a large, elongated area; "The park stretched beneath
          the train line" [syn: {stretch along}]
     2: extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body; "Stretch
        your legs!"; "Extend your right arm above your head" [syn:
         {extend}]
     3: extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length;
        "Unfold the newspaper"; "stretch out that piece of cloth";
        "extend the TV antenna" [syn: {unfold}, {stretch out}, {extend}]
     4: become longer by being stretched and pulled; "The fabric
        stretches" [ant: {shrink}]
     5: make long or longer by pulling and stretching; "stretch the
        fabric" [syn: {elongate}]
     6: lie down comfortably; "To enjoy the picnic, we stretched out
        on the grass" [syn: {stretch out}]
     7: pull in opposite directions; "During the Inquisition, the
        torturers would stretch their victims on a rack"
     8: extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly; "Stretch the
        limits"; "stretch my patience"; "stretch the imagination"
     9: corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or
        inferior substance; often by replacing valuable
        ingredients with inferior ones; "adulterate liquor" [syn:
        {adulterate}, {dilute}, {debase}]
     10: 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" [syn: {extend}]
     11: extend one's body or limbs; "Let's stretch for a
         minute--we've been sitting here for over 3 hours" [syn: {stretch
         out}]