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.
• noun A stretching or straining, especially a stretching or straining beyond measure: as, a stretch of authority.
• noun A state of tension; strain: as, to be on the stretch.
• noun Reach; extent; scope.
• noun A long tract; an extended or continued surface or area, relatively narrow; a reach; distance; sweep: as, a long stretch of country road; a great stretch of grassy land; a stretch of moorland.
• noun One of the two straight sides of a race-course, as distinguished from the bend or curve at each end.
• noun Nautical, the reach or extent of progress on one tack; a tack.
• noun In weaving: The plot of ground on which a weaver stretches his warp.
• noun Tho length of spun-yarn between the spindles and roller-beam, which is wound upon the spindles each time the carriage is run toward the roller-beam. Also called draw.
• noun A single continued effort; one uninterrupted sitting, diet, shift, turn, or the like: as, to work ten hours at a stretch.
• noun A year's imprisonment or punishment.
• noun Course; direction: as, the stretch of seams of coal.
• noun Stride; bound, as of a running animal.
• 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.