stretch (redirected from stretches)

at full stretch (British)

if someone or something is at full stretch, they are working as hard as possible. The emergency services are working at full stretch to cope with the accident. When the plant is operating at full stretch it can employ 800 people.

See also: full

bend/stretch the rules

to do something or to allow someone to do something which is not usually allowed. We don't usually let students take books away, but I'm willing to bend the rules on this occasion.

See also: bend, rule

not by any stretch of the imagination

if you say that by no stretch of the imagination can you describe something or someone in a particular way, you mean that this way of describing them is certainly not correct. She was never a great player, not by any stretch of the imagination. He's pleasant looking but by no stretch of the imagination could you describe him as handsome.

See also: any, imagination

the home stretch

the last part of a long or difficult activity. We've been working on the project for six months, but we're in the home stretch now.

See also: home

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at a stretch

continuously. Sometimes I work for ten hours at a stretch. I can't concentrate for more than 15 minutes at a stretch.

not by any stretch (of the imagination)

even if you try, it is still difficult to accept. She was never a great player, not by any stretch of the imagination. He's nice-looking but by no stretch of the imagination could you describe him as handsome. Our survey was purely random and by no stretch scientific.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form by any stretch (of the imagination) even possibly: It's the only plan that could, by any stretch, be relied upon to work.It's only a slight stretch of the imagination to call that scissors a weapon.

See also: any

stretch your legs

to move around after having to be in one place or position for a long time. We drove there in five hours, including a couple of stops to stretch our legs.

See also: leg