stretch
gb/stɹˈɛt͡ʃ/ us/stɹˈɛt͡ʃ/
A2
English
~ 2100
kinyújt, kifeszít, megnyújt, meghosszabbít, beoszt, nyújtás, nyújtógyakorlat, nyújtózás, szakasz, nyúlik
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to stretch [something] out
She stretched her arms above her head after waking up.
Ébredés után kinyújtotta a két karját a feje fölé.
He stretched the rope until it was tight.
Addig húzta a kötelet, amíg feszes nem lett.
The cat stretched its legs before jumping down.
I need to stretch my back after sitting for so long.
Learner examples
I stretch my arms in the morning.
Reggelente kinyújtom a karjaimat.
The boy stretches his legs before running.
A fiú futás előtt megnyújtja a lábizmait.
She stretches the rope across the garden.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'stretch' with 'reach'. 'Stretch' means to make longer; 'reach' means to try to touch something.
Meaning
Extend body part or object
Collocations
stretch your arms
|stretch the fabric
|stretch your legs
|stretch the rope
Synonyms
extend (A more general term for making something longer or wider.)
Antonyms
bend (Means to curve or fold something instead of making it straight.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|sports
|body
|daily_life
Definition
To make part of your body or something else longer by pulling or reaching it out.
To make a body part or object longer or straighter by pulling or reaching.
VERB
B1
2
beoszt
B1
Usage pattern:
to stretch [something] [for/time/distance]
We had to stretch the meeting to cover all topics.
Meg kellett hosszabbítanunk a megbeszélést, hogy minden témát át tudjunk venni.
She stretched her budget to buy the new laptop.
Szorosan beosztotta a pénzét, hogy meg tudja venni az új laptopot.
The festival stretches over three days.
Learner examples
The teacher stretched the lesson by ten minutes.
A tanár tíz perccel meghosszabbította az órát.
He stretches his money to pay for food and rent.
Úgy osztja be a pénzét, hogy jusson élelmiszerre és lakbérre.
The party stretches into the night.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'expand', which usually refers to size or space rather than time or resources.
Meaning
Extend time or limit
Collocations
stretch the meeting
|stretch your budget
|stretch the deadline
Synonyms
prolong (More formal, often used for extending time.)
Antonyms
shorten (To make something take less time or cover less distance.)
Themes
time
|resources
|work
|business
Definition
To make something continue for more time or cover more area than usual.
To cause something to last longer, go further, or be used beyond its normal limit.
NOUN
A2
3
I gave my legs a good stretch after the flight.
A repülőút után jól kinyújtóztattam a lábamat.
She did a quick stretch before starting her run.
Futás előtt gyorsan nyújtott egyet.
The cat enjoyed a long stretch in the sun.
Learner examples
I do a stretch after I wake up.
Ébredés után nyújtózom egyet.
He takes a short stretch during work.
Munka közben nyújtózik egy kicsit.
The dog does a big stretch.
Meaning
Act of extending fully
Collocations
a good stretch
|morning stretch
Synonyms
extension (A more technical term, often used in exercise contexts.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|body
|daily_life
Definition
When you make your body or something else longer by pulling or reaching it out.
An act of making a body part or object longer or straighter by pulling or reaching.
NOUN
B1
4
szakasz
B1
We walked along a beautiful stretch of coastline.
Végigsétáltunk egy gyönyörű partszakaszon.
There's a dangerous stretch of road ahead.
Előttünk egy veszélyes útszakasz van.
That stretch of desert is completely uninhabited.
Learner examples
We drove along a long stretch of road.
Egy hosszú útszakaszon haladtunk végig.
This is a nice stretch of beach.
Ez egy szép partszakasz.
There is a short stretch of river here.
Meaning
Continuous length of land/water/road
Collocations
a long stretch of beach
|a lonely stretch of road
Synonyms
expanse (Often used for large open areas, sometimes more poetic.)
Themes
geography
|travel
|nature
|space
Definition
A long piece of land, water, road, or other surface.
A continuous length or area of land, water, road, etc., especially one that is perceived as long.
VERB
A2
5
nyúlik
B1
This fabric stretches easily when worn.
Ez az anyag viselés közben könnyen nyúlik.
Rubber can stretch a lot without tearing.
A gumi sokat tud nyúlni anélkül, hogy elszakadna.
The sweater will stretch if you hang it while wet.
Learner examples
The rope stretches when you pull it.
A kötél nyúlik, ha húzod.
This shirt stretches a little.
Ez az ing egy kicsit nyúlik.
Rubber stretches a lot.
Meaning
Become longer when pulled
Collocations
fabric stretches
|rubber stretches
Synonyms
elongate (More formal and less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
shrink (To become smaller instead of longer.)
Themes
materials
|daily life
|science
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Definition
When something becomes longer when you pull it and it does not break.
To become longer or wider when pulled without breaking, often referring to materials.
Grammar
Dictionary form
stretch
IPA
GB/stɹˈɛt͡ʃ/
US/stɹˈɛt͡ʃ/
Syllables & stress
stretch (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (stretch)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: stretch
- Plural: stretch, stretches
Verb
- Base: stretch
- 3rd Person Singular: stretches
- Present Participle: stretching
- Past: stretched
Word family
Forms
stretches
noun
stretching
verb
stretched
verb
Core family
stretchy
adjective
Related words
stretchable
adjective
stretcher
noun
Advanced or less common
overstretch
verb
stretchiness
noun
Expressions
at a stretch
1/ˈæt ə stɹˈɛt͡ʃ/
idiom
Continuously without stopping
For a period of time without stopping.
Examples
- He can work for ten hours at a stretch.
- I watched three movies at a stretch.
home stretch
1/hˈoʊm stɹˈɛt͡ʃ/
idiom
Final part before completion
The last part of an activity before it finishes.
Examples
- We're in the home stretch now; just one more chapter to write.
- The runners are on the home stretch.
stretch out
1/stɹˈɛt͡ʃ ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Lie down fully extended
To lie down with your body straight and long.
Examples
- He stretched out on the sofa and closed his eyes.
- She stretched out on the grass to watch the clouds.
stretch the truth
1/stɹˈɛt͡ʃ ðə tɹˈuθ/
idiom
Exaggerate facts partially false
To say something that is not exactly true by making it sound bigger, better, or worse than it is.
Examples
- He tends to stretch the truth when telling stories about his travels.
- She might have stretched the truth about her experience.
stretch your legs
1/stɹˈɛt͡ʃ jˈʊɹ lˈɛɡz/
fixed phrase
Walk briefly after sitting long
To walk for a short time after sitting for a long time so your legs feel better.
Examples
- We stopped at a rest area to stretch our legs.
- After the long drive, we stopped to stretch our legs.
- After the long meeting, I needed to stretch my legs.
- Let's take a break and stretch our legs before continuing.