- (of something soft or elastic) be made or be capable of being made longer or wider without tearing or breaking（柔软或弹性物）伸展, 延伸; 延展; 被拉长; 被拉宽：
my jumper stretched in the wash
我的针织套衫洗后变宽松了
rubber will stretch easily when pulled.
橡胶很容易被拉长。
- with obj. cause to do this使伸展; 使伸长：
stretch the elastic.
把松紧带拉长。
- with obj. and adverbial pull (something) tightly from one point to another or across a space拉紧; 拉直; 撑大, 绷大：
small squares of canvas were stretched over the bamboo frame.
小块帆布被紧绷在竹架上。
- last or cause to last longer than expected（使）过分延长, （使）过度延续：
no obj. her nap had stretched to two hours她午睡了长达两小时
with obj. stretch your weekend into a mini summer vacation.把你的周末延长成一个小暑假。
- no obj.(of finances or resources) be sufficient or adequate for a certain purpose（资金, 资源）足够, 够用：
my budget won't stretch to a weekend at a health farm.
我计划好的钱不够去健身庄园度周末。
- with obj. make great demands on the capacity or resources of大量要求, 大量需求：
the cost of the court case has stretched their finances to the limit.
那件诉讼案的费用使他们的财务状况紧张到了极限。
- with obj. cause (someone) to make maximum use of their talents or abilities使最大限度利用（才能, 能力）：
it's too easy - it doesn't stretch me.
它太容易了, 我无需尽全力。
- with obj. adapt or extend the scope of (something) in a way that exceeds a reasonable or acceptable limit夸大, 夸张：
to describe her as sweet would be stretching it a bit.
把她描绘成可人儿是夸张了一点。
- straighten or extend one's body or a part of one's body to its full length, typically so as to tighten one's muscles or in order to reach something舒展（身体或其部位）; 伸出（身体或其部位）去拿：
the cat yawned and stretched
猫打个呵欠, 又伸了伸懒腰
with obj. stretching my cramped legs伸一伸我发麻的双腿
we lay stretched out on the sand.
我们舒展着身体躺在沙滩上。
- no obj., with adverbial extend or spread over an area or period of time延续：
the beach stretches for over four miles
那海滩绵延四英里多
the long hours of night stretched ahead of her.
等待她的是漫漫长夜。
- an act of stretching one's limbs or body（四肢或身体的）舒展; 伸出：
I got up and had a stretch.
我起床后伸了伸懒腰。
- mass noun the fact or condition of a muscle being stretched（肌肉的）伸张, 紧绷：
she could feel the stretch and pull of the muscles in her legs.
她能感觉到腿上肌肉的伸缩。
- mass noun [usu. as modifier] the capacity of a material or garment to stretch or be stretched; elasticity（材料或服装的）伸展力; 弹性：
stretch jeans.
弹力牛仔裤。
- a difficult or demanding task困难的任务; 苛求的任务：
it was a stretch for me sometimes to come up with the rent.
交租金对我有时是一件难事。
- a continuous area or expanse of land or water（陆地或水域）连绵的一片, 连续的一段：
a treacherous stretch of road.
危险路段。
- a continuous period of time（时间）连续的一段, 持续：
long stretches of time.
一段段很长的时间。
- informal a period of time spent in prison〈非正式〉徒刑, 服刑期：
a four-year stretch for tax fraud.
因逃漏税刑期四年。
- chiefly N. Amer. a straight part of a racetrack, typically the home straight〈主北美〉（赛马跑道的）终点直道：
he made a promising start, but faded down the stretch.
他出发时很有希望, 但是在终点直道上落后了。
- Sailing the distance covered on one tack【航海】抢风航行的距离。
- usu. as modifier informal a motor vehicle or aircraft modified so as to have extended seating or storage capacity〈非正式〉加长机动车; 舱位加长的飞机：
a black stretch limo.
一辆黑色加长轿车。
at full stretch
- with a part of one's body fully extended尽量伸展（身体部位）。
- using the maximum amount of one's resources or energy最大限度使用, 全力地：
increased export business kept our production plants at full stretch.
增长的出口贸易使我们的生产厂家一直在全速运转。
at a stretch
- in one continuous period不停地, 连续地, 一口气地：
I often had to work for over twenty hours at a stretch.
我经常不得不连续工作20小时以上。
- used to indicate that something is just possible but only with difficulty or in extreme circumstances勉强地; 尽量地：
it is aimed at one age group, adults, or, at a stretch, business studies students.
它的目标是一个年龄组的人, 即成年人, 或者勉强扩大到包括商科学生。
by no（或not by any）stretch of the imagination
- used to emphasize that something is definitely not the case任凭如何异想天开也不是, 怎么想象也不是：
by no stretch of the imagination could Carl ever be called good-looking.
卡尔的相貌无论如何也称不上英俊。
stretch one's legs
- go for a short walk, typically after sitting in one place for some time（久坐后）散步。
stretch a point
- allow or do something not usually acceptable, typically as a result of the particular circumstances（因特殊情况）作出让步, 通融：
since your daughter is one of my regular patients, I'm stretching a point.
由于你的女儿常来我这里看病, 我就破一次例。
stretch one's wings
- 见WING.