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3 VERB When you stretch , you put your arms or legs out straight and tighten your muscles. □ [V ] He yawned and stretched. □ [V n] Try stretching your legs and pulling your toes upwards. □ [V n] She arched her back and stretched herself. ● N‑COUNT Stretch is also a noun. □  At the end of a workout spend time cooling down with some slow stretches. ●  stretch|ing N‑UNCOUNT □  Make sure no awkward stretching is required.

4 N‑COUNT A stretch of time is a period of time. □  …after an 18-month stretch in the army. □  He would study for eight to ten hours at a stretch.

5 VERB If something stretches from one time to another, it begins at the first time and ends at the second, which is longer than expected. □ [V from n to n] …a working day that stretches from seven in the morning to eight at night.

6 VERB If a group of things stretch from one type of thing to another, the group includes a wide range of things. □ [V from n to n] …a trading empire, with interests that stretched from chemicals to sugar.

7 VERB When something soft or elastic stretches or is stretched , it becomes longer or bigger as well as thinner, usually because it is pulled. □ [V ] The cables are designed not to stretch. □ [V n] Ease the pastry into the corners of the tin, making sure you don't stretch it.

8 ADJ [ADJ n] Stretch fabric is soft and elastic and stretches easily. □  …stretch fabrics such as Lycra. □  …stretch cotton swimsuits.

9 VERB If you stretch an amount of something or if it stretches , you make it last longer than it usually would by being careful and not wasting any of it. □ [V n] They're used to stretching their budgets. □ [V ] During his senior year his earnings stretched far enough to buy an old car.

10 VERB [no cont] If your resources can stretch to something, you can just afford to do it. □ [V + to ] She suggested to me that I might like to start regular savings and I said 'Well, I don't know whether I can stretch to that.'

11 VERB If something stretches your money or resources, it uses them up so you have hardly enough for your needs. □ [V n] The drought there is stretching American resources. □ [be V -ed prep/adv] Public expenditure was being stretched to the limit.

12 VERB If you say that a job or task stretches you, you mean that you like it because it makes you work hard and use all your energy and skills so that you do not become bored or achieve less than you should. [APPROVAL ] □ [V pron-refl] I'm trying to move on and stretch myself with something different. □ [be V -ed] They criticised the quality of teaching, claiming pupils were not stretched enough.

13 PHRASE If you are at full stretch , you are using the maximum amount of effort or energy. □  Everyone would be working at full stretch.

14 PHRASE If you say that something is not true or possible by any stretch of the imagination , you are emphasizing that it is completely untrue or absolutely impossible. [EMPHASIS ] □  We're not a great football side by any stretch of the imagination.

15 PHRASE If you stretch your legs , you go for a short walk, usually after you have been sitting down for a long time. □  I stopped at the square and got out to stretch my legs.

▸  stretch out

1 PHRASAL VERB If you stretch out or stretch yourself out , you lie with your legs and body in a straight line. □ [V P adv/prep] The jacuzzi was too small to stretch out in. □  Moira stretched herself out on the lower bench. [Also V P ]