What is the Latin word for stretch?

The usual Latin words for “stretch” are intendō, contendō, extendō; also prōdūcō, porrigō, pertineō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“stretch” in Latin

intendōto stretch out; to strain; to turn one's attention to, focus (on); to aim, turn, direct contendōto hurry; to stretch, draw tight, make taut, strain; to place together in comparison, compare, contrast extendōto stretch or thrust out; to extend, prolong or continue; to enlarge or increase prōdūcōto lead or bring forth, forward or out; to conduct to; bring before, present; to draw or stretch out, lengthen, extend porrigōto stretch, spread out, extend; to offer, hold out pertineōto extend, stretch out, reach, matter; to belong, relate, pertain, have concern; to have a tendency to, tend to patiorto suffer, endure, tolerate; to allow, acquiesce, permit, submit; to exist, live diffundōto diffuse, scatter; to decant, spread or pour out excurrōto run out; to sally forth; to project, extend prōcurrōto run or rush forwards; to advance; to jut out

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

stretch v.

Transitively, intendere (that which before was slack; e.g., chordas, arcum): contendere (that which was already stretched, to draw more tightly; e.g., arcum, tormenta): extendere (to stretch out, in length): intendere aliquid aliqua re (to stretch anything over another): producere (so as to lengthen): nimis extendere: modum excedere in aliqua re (to overstrain, outdo; e.g., one’s authority). To stretch out, porrigere; portendere (before one); tendere; extendere (at full length): to stretch out the arms, brachia projicere (opposed to contrahere): to stretch one’s self out on the grass, se abjicere in herba (☞ not in herbam; Vid: Cic., De Or., 1, 7, 28, Orelli).

Intransitively, porrigi: pertinere: patere: diffundi: excurrere: procurrere: tendere: extendi (☞ not pertingere). [Vid: also, EXTEND, REACH.]

To stretch, or stretch one’s self = to yawn, pandiculari (= “toto corpore oscitantem extendi,” Festus).

stretch s.

intentio (opposed to remissio), or by circumlocution with the verb.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for stretch?: The usual Latin words for “stretch” are intendō, contendō, extendō; also prōdūcō, porrigō, pertineō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.