full stretch

5.7

A situation when you use all your energy and ability

noun

: máximo esfuerzo

Goicoechea was at full stretch to guide Cristian Ledesma's shot around the post, before parrying a Hernanes drive to safety.

Examples

The athlete pushed herself to the full stretch during the final lap of the race.
And if you can get off for a second, then you can be seeing what's going on up here is that if your arms are at full stretch, like on the left here, you feel heavy.
Five minutes before the break, Marchetti had to be at full stretch to tip Totti's cross-turned shot over the bar.

Blog text (8)
In preparation for the big presentation, the team was working at full stretch to meet the deadline.
During the intense workout, he felt he was operating at full stretch to achieve his fitness goals.

Synonyms

strenuousness

vsfull stretch

1 7.5

A state of needing a lot of physical or mental effort

shows using every resource and pushing to the maximum effort

Antonyms

relaxation

54 1.6

A calm, stress-free state when you rest or enjoy free time

inactivity

12 3.5

A period of time with no movement or action

How Hard

full stretch

5.7

to strain

87 4.2

effort

∞ 1.0

effortlessness

1 3.9

Surface Forms

full stretch singular

full stretches plural

Morphology

full + stretch

The components 'full' (maximum) and 'stretch' (to extend or strain) give a clear cue that something is being extended to its limits, so a learner knowing both words can plausibly infer a meaning related to maximum effort or capacity. However, the use is metaphorical and somewhat idiomatic (commonly phrased as 'at full stretch'), so the exact nuance 'using all one's resources' is not entirely predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrase full stretch may come from the image of a body or an elastic being pulled until it cannot stretch more, so it is at its full stretch and using all its energy. That's why it now means 'working with maximum effort' or 'using all your energy'.