stretching

1. The act by which something is stretched.
2. A form of physical exercise in which a specific skeletal muscle (or muscle group) is deliberately elongated to its fullest length in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity and reaffirm comfortable muscle tone.

1. To lengthen by pulling.

   I stretched the rubber band until it almost broke.

2. To lengthen when pulled.

   The rubber band stretched almost to the breaking point.

3. To pull tight.

   First, stretch the skin over the frame of the drum.

4. To get more use than expected from a limited resource.

   I managed to stretch my coffee supply a few more days.

5. To make inaccurate by exaggeration.

   To say crossing the street was brave is stretching the meaning of "brave" considerably.

6. To extend physically, especially from limit point to limit point.

   The beach stretches from Cresswell to Amble.

7. To extend one’s limbs or another part of the body in order to improve the elasticity of one's muscles

   Cats stretch with equal ease and agility beyond the point that breaks a man on the rack.

8. To extend to a limit point

   His mustache stretched all the way to his sideburns.

9. To increase.
10. To stretch the truth; to exaggerate.

    a man apt to stretch in his report of facts

11. To sail by the wind under press of canvas.

    The ship stretched to the eastward.

12. To execute by hanging.
13. To make great demands on the capacity or resources of something.

adjective

Requiring a high level of effort or performance.