Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To stretch out; extend.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To stretch or spread out; extend; expand: used chiefly in the past participle.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To stretch out.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To extend by stretching

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Perhaps in poor judgment, when the bird came around again, we allowed our eldest son to outstretch his delicate arm in acceptance.

    A Whole Other Ball Game Heidi Mitchell 2012

  • The self-pic—you know, the type of photo where you outstretch your arm in front of you and take a picture of your noggin or several noggins obfuscating some historical monument—has become so ubiquitous and culturally acceptable that technology has slowly but surely bowed down to the fact that people really do like taking pictures of themselves.

    Say 'Cheese,' Pose and Share 2011

  • Click on Graphic to Enlarge In Chicago, a 150-story skyscraper called the Chicago Spire and long planned to outstretch the 110-story Willis Tower as the city's tallest building, is a hole in the ground.

    Lending Revives Stalled Projects Anton Troianovski 2011

  • In your mind where your old limbs outstretch to receive him.

    Wrinkles, Men and Shades of Gray 2010

  • As we outstretch our arms to hold the HUGENESS of the world, we at once become held by it.

    Jeffrey Smith: THINK HUGE. Thinking "Big" is so last century. Jeffrey Smith 2010

  • Go ahead and vote for China to emerge as the worlds superpower as we waste trillions of dollars on senseless wars that will outstretch our military and make us weaker against terrorists ...

    Angry Clinton supporters tell party leaders: 'Let's go McCain!' 2008

  • The day lies beyond the outstretch hand, too far to touch, too far to take hold and pull it closer.

    The Day Drags Out Into The Distance David Hadley 2009

  • The day lies beyond the outstretch hand, too far to touch, too far to take hold and pull it closer.

    Archive 2009-08-01 David Hadley 2009

  • So, paying down a high interest debt of about 18 percent is just like getting an 18 percent return on your investments which is really hard to do these days, so that can outstretch your money further.

    CNN Transcript Apr 11, 2009 2009

  • We outstretch our arms together as if in huddled embrace before a game.

    Om, Om, Om floreta 2009

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