What is the meaning of stretching?

noun

• Act of expanding by lengthening or widening.
• Exercise designed to extend the limbs and muscles to their full extent.
  • synonyms: stretch

verb

• Occupy a large, elongated area.
  • usage: "The park stretched beneath the train line"
  • synonyms: stretch, stretch along
• Extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body.
  • usage: "Stretch your legs"; "Extend your right arm above your head"
  • synonyms: stretch, extend
• Extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length.
  • usage: "Unfold the newspaper"; "stretch out that piece of cloth"; "extend the TV antenna"
  • synonyms: unfold, stretch, stretch out, extend
• Become longer by being stretched and pulled.
  • usage: "The fabric stretches"
  • synonyms: stretch
• Make long or longer by pulling and stretching.
  • usage: "stretch the fabric"
  • synonyms: elongate, stretch
• Lie down comfortably.
  • usage: "To enjoy the picnic, we stretched out on the grass"
  • synonyms: stretch, stretch out
• Pull in opposite directions.
  • usage: "During the Inquisition, the torturers would stretch their victims on a rack"
  • synonyms: stretch
• Extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly.
  • usage: "Stretch the limits"; "stretch my patience"; "stretch the imagination"
  • synonyms: stretch
• Corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones.
  • usage: "adulterate liquor"
  • synonyms: load, adulterate, stretch, dilute, debase
• Increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance.
  • usage: "stretch the soup by adding some more cream"; "extend the casserole with a little rice"
  • synonyms: extend, stretch
• Extend one's body or limbs.
  • usage: "Let's stretch for a minute-we've been sitting here for over 3 hours"
  • synonyms: stretch, stretch out