HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
v. stretched, stretch·ing, stretch·es v.tr. 1. To lengthen, widen, or distend: stretched the sweater out of shape. 2. To cause to extend from one place to another or across a given space: stretched the banner between two poles. 3. To make taut; tighten: stretched the tarpaulin until it ripped. 4. To reach or put forth; extend: stretched out his hand. 5. a. To extend (oneself or one's limbs, for example) to full length: stretched her calves before running. b. To extend (oneself) when lying down: she stretched herself out on the couch. c. To put to torture on the rack. 6. To wrench or strain (a muscle, for example). 7. a. To extend or enlarge beyond the usual or proper limits: stretch the meaning of a word. b. To subject to undue strain: to stretch one's patience. 8. a. To expand in order to fulfill a larger function: stretch a budget; stretch a paycheck. b. To increase the quantity of by admixture or dilution: stretch a meal by thinning the stew. 9. To prolong: stretch out an argument. 10. Informal To fell by a blow: stretched his opponent in the first round. v.intr. 1. To become lengthened, widened, or distended. 2. To extend or reach over a distance or area or in a given direction: "On both sides of us stretched the wet plain" (Ernest Hemingway). 3. To lie down at full length: stretched out on the bed. 4. To extend one's muscles or limbs, as after prolonged sitting or on awakening. 5. To extend over a given period of time: "This story stretches over a whole generation" (William Golding). n. 1. The act of stretching or the state of being stretched. 2. The extent or scope to which something can be stretched; elasticity. 3. A continuous or unbroken length, area, or expanse: an empty stretch of highway. 4. A straight section of a racecourse or track, especially the section leading to the finish line. 5. a. A continuous period of time. b. Slang A term of imprisonment: served a two-year stretch. c. Informal The last stage of an event, period, or process. 6. Baseball A series of movements in which a pitcher, standing with the glove side facing home plate, raises both hands to the height of the head and then lowers them to the chest or waist for a short pause before pitching the ball. It is used especially when runners are on base because it gives base runners less time to steal than they have during a full windup. adj. Idiom: 1. Made of an elastic material that stretches easily: stretch pants. 2. Of, relating to, or being a vehicle, such as a limousine or passenger jet, having an extended seating area that provides extra space for more passengers, leg room, or amenities. stretch (one's) legs To go for a walk, especially after a lengthy period of sitting. [Middle English strecchen, from Old English streccan.] stretch′a·bili·ty n. stretcha·ble adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
