stretch

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• intransitive verb To lengthen, widen, or distend.
• intransitive verb To cause to extend from one place to another or across a given space.
• intransitive verb To make taut; tighten.
• intransitive verb To reach or put forth; extend.
• intransitive verb To extend (oneself or one's limbs, for example) to full length.
• intransitive verb To extend (oneself) when lying down.
• intransitive verb To put to torture on the rack.
• intransitive verb To wrench or strain (a muscle, for example).
• intransitive verb To extend or enlarge beyond the usual or proper limits.
• intransitive verb To subject to undue strain.
• intransitive verb To expand in order to fulfill a larger function.
• intransitive verb To increase the quantity of by admixture or dilution.
• intransitive verb To prolong.
• intransitive verb Informal To fell by a blow.
• intransitive verb To become lengthened, widened, or distended.
• intransitive verb To extend or reach over a distance or area or in a given direction.
• intransitive verb To lie down at full length.
• intransitive verb To extend one's muscles or limbs, as after prolonged sitting or on awakening.
• intransitive verb To extend over a given period of time.
• noun The act of stretching or the state of being stretched.
• noun The extent or scope to which something can be stretched; elasticity.
• noun A continuous or unbroken length, area, or expanse.
• noun A straight section of a racecourse or track, especially the section leading to the finish line.
• noun A continuous period of time.
• noun Slang A term of imprisonment.
• noun Informal The last stage of an event, period, or process.
• noun Baseball A series of movements in which a pitcher, standing with the glove side facing home plate, raises both hands to the height of the head and then lowers them to the chest or waist for a short pause before pitching the ball. It is used especially when runners are on base because it gives base runners less time to steal than they have during a full windup.
• adjective Made of an elastic material that stretches easily.
• adjective Of, relating to, or being a vehicle, such as a limousine or passenger jet, having an extended seating area that provides extra space for more passengers, leg room, or amenities.
• idiom (stretch (one's) legs) To go for a walk, especially after a lengthy period of sitting.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun The traverse of the spindle-carriage of a spinning-mule.
• noun Capability of being stretched; elasticity; capacity for yielding.
• To draw (out); pull (out).
• To draw out to full length; extend; expand; spread: as, to stretch one's self; to stretch the wings; to stretch one's legs; hence, sometimes, to tighten; make tense or taut.
• To extend, or cause to reach or extend, lengthwise, or between specified points: as, to stretch a rope from one point to another.
• To draw out or extend in any direction by the application of force; draw out by tensile stress: as, to stretch cloth; to stretch a rubber band beyond its strength.
• To distend or expand forcibly or violently; strain by the exercise of force; subject to stress, literally or figuratively.
• To extend or strain too far; impair by straining; do violence to; exaggerate: as, to stretch the truth.
• To exert; strain.
• To reach or hold out; put forth; extend.
• To cause to lie or fall extended at full length: as, to stretch an opponent on the ground by a blow.
• To hang.
• To extend; reach; be continuous over a distance; be drawn out in length or in breadth, or both; spread.
• To be extended or to bear extension without breaking, as elastic substances; attain greater length: literally or figuratively.
• To go beyond the truth; exaggerate.
• Nautical, to sail by the wind under all sail.