to reach out; to extend; to put forth.-to draw out to the full length; to cause to extend in a straight line; as, to stretch a cord or rope.-to cause to extend in breadth; to spread; to expand; as, to stretch cloth; to stretch the wings.-to make tense; to tighten; to distend forcibly.-to draw or pull out to greater length; to strain; as, to stretch a tendon or muscle.-to exaggerate; to extend too far; as, to stretch the truth; to stretch one's credit.-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.-to extend or spread one's self, or one's limbs; as, the lazy man yawns and stretches.-to be extended, or to bear extension, without breaking, as elastic or ductile substances.-to strain the truth; to exaggerate; as, a man apt to stretch in his report of facts.-to sail by the wind under press of canvas; as, the ship stretched to the eastward.-act of stretching, or state of being stretched; reach; effort; struggle; strain; as, a stretch of the limbs; a stretch of the imagination.-a continuous line or surface; a continuous space of time; as, grassy stretches of land.-the extent to which anything may be stretched.-the reach or extent of a vessel's progress on one tack; a tack or board.-course; direction; as, the stretch of seams of coal.