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Thread: spread out and stretch out

  1. #1
    dilodi83 is offline Senior Member
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    Default spread out and stretch out

    Are there any differences between
    1) to stretch out one's arms
    AND
    2) to spread out one's arms
    ?

    Are they interchangeable?
    Ex. During the dance we had to spread/stretch our arms out.
    Ex. She spread/stretched out her hand to try to reach the grapes on the other side of the fence.
    Last edited by dilodi83; 15-Nov-2011 at 09:18. Reason: It was incomplete

  2. #2
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    JohnParis is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: spread out and stretch out

    Yes there are differences between stretch and spread and, no, they are not interchangeable.
    Stretch: to make
    longer or wider without tearing or breaking : My sweater stretched in the wash. Rubber will stretch easily when pulled.

    Spread: to open out (something) so as to extend its surface area, width, or length : I spread a towel on the sand and sat down. She helped Chris to spread out the map.

    Oxford Dictionary


    John
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  3. #3
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    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
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    Default Re: spread out and stretch out

    During the dance we had to spread/stretch our arms out. It could be either. We would need a full description or a picture to be be sure which was intended.
    She spread/stretched out her hand to try to reach the grapes on the other side of the fence. This must be 'stretched'.
    dilodi83 likes this.

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