{
    "term": "stretch",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "stretch",
            "heSheIt": "stretches"
        },
        "pastSimple": "stretched",
        "pastParticiple": "stretched",
        "ingForm": "stretching"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to make something longer, wider or looser, for example by pulling it; to become longer, etc. in this way",
            "sensetop": "stretch (something)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Is there any way of stretching shoes?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Stop stretching your sleeves like that!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "This sweater has stretched."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Physics and chemistry"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["taut", "tautly", "tight"],
                "preposition": ["across", "between", "over"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to become bigger or longer when you pull it and return to its original shape when you stop",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The jeans stretch to provide a perfect fit."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to pull something so that it is smooth and tight",
            "sensetop": "stretch something (+ adv./prep.)stretch something + adj.",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Stretch the fabric tightly over the frame.",
                    "contextForm": "stretch something (+ adv./prep.)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Striped awnings had been stretched across the courtyard."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Make sure that the rope is stretched tight.",
                    "contextForm": "stretch something + adj."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["taut", "tautly", "tight"],
                "preposition": ["across", "between", "over"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to put your arms or legs out straight and contract your muscles",
            "sensetop": "stretch something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He stretched and yawned lazily."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Andrea turned out the light and stretched full-length on the bed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The exercises are designed to stretch and tone your leg muscles.",
                    "contextForm": "stretch something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was impossible to bend or stretch my legs."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Health and Fitness"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["gently", "lazily", "luxuriously"],
                "preposition": ["on"],
                "phrases": ["stretch and yawn", "yawn and stretch"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to put out an arm or a leg in order to reach something",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.stretch something + adv./prep.",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She stretched across the table for the butter.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She stretched up to reach the top shelf."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I stretched out a hand and picked up the book.",
                    "contextForm": "stretch something + adv./prep."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to spread over an area of land",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Fields and hills stretched out as far as we could see."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The traffic jam seemed to **stretch for miles**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A line of cars stretched into the distance."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The flat landscape stretched to the horizon."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Beyond the mountains stretches a vast desert."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The beach seemed to stretch endlessly."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The road stretched ahead."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The wood does not stretch very far."
                },
                {
                    "text": "an area which stretches from London to the north"
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "extend",
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["far", "endlessly", "forever"],
                "verb + stretch": ["seem to"],
                "preposition": ["along", "beyond", "from"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "to continue over a period of time",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The town's history stretches back to before 1500."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to stretch back years/decades/generations/centuries"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The training stretches over a period of 16 months."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Endless summer days stretched out before us."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The talks look set to stretch into a second week."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The future stretched out endlessly in front of me."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["endlessly", "back", "out"],
                "preposition": ["before", "into"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "to be enough to buy or pay for something",
            "sensetop": "stretch (to something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I need a new car, but my savings won't stretch to it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There are lots of things I’d like to buy, but our budget just won’t stretch that far."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "to make use of a lot of your money, supplies, time, etc.",
            "sensetop": "stretch somebody/something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The pandemic has **stretched** healthcare resources **to the limit**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We can't take on any more work—we're fully stretched as it is."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The budget is already **stretched to breaking point**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The influx of tourists in the summer stretches the capacity of local transport to its limit."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Our forces are too thinly stretched to control the chaos."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The increase in demand has severely stretched our resources."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Don't stretch yourself too thin financially."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This department is stretched to its limit."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 10,
            "definition": "to increase your lead over somebody in a game or competition",
            "sensetop": "stretch the lead (to something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A minute later, Kelly stretched their lead to eight points."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 11,
            "definition": "to make use of all somebody’s skill, intelligence, etc.",
            "sensetop": "stretch somebody/something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I need a job that will stretch me."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was never really stretched at school."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The book really stretches your imagination."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["really", "severely", "fully"],
                "preposition": ["to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 12,
            "definition": "to use something in a way that would not normally be considered fair, acceptable, etc.",
            "sensetop": "stretch something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He admitted that he had maybe **stretched the truth** a little *(= not been completely honest)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The play's plot **stretches** credulity **to the limit**."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to change the rules to suit a particular person or situation",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Couldn't they just bend the rules and let us in without a ticket?"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Permission and obligation"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to go for a short walk after sitting for some time",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It was good to get out of the car and stretch our legs."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to allow or do something that is not usually acceptable, especially because of a particular situation",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I was hoping they would stretch a point and let me stay on for a while."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stretʃ/",
                "audio": "st/stretch/stretch__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈstretʃɪz/",
                "audio": "st/stretch/stretches__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stretʃt/",
                "audio": "st/stretch/stretched__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈstretʃɪŋ/",
                "audio": "st/stretch/stretching__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stretʃ/",
                "audio": "st/stretch/stretch__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈstretʃɪz/",
                "audio": "st/stretch/stretches__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stretʃt/",
                "audio": "st/stretch/stretched__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈstretʃɪŋ/",
                "audio": "st/stretch/stretching__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English streccan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch strekken and German strecken. The noun dates from the late 16th cent."
}