stretcher

Etymology

stretch + -er

noun

1. One who, or that which, stretches.
2. A simple litter designed to carry a sick, injured, or dead person.
   This done, he sank on to a stretcher, and glanced meditatively about the room. 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XIV, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 153
   The goal also cost the Blues the services of Luiz, who was injured in attempting to clear and was taken off on a stretcher and replaced by Gary Cahill. April 15, 2012, Phil McNulty, “Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea”, in BBC
   There, characteristically, he refused to be carried on a stretcher, saying he was too heavy for nurses. He walked in with their support. January 12 2022, Benedict le Vay, “The heroes of Soham...”, in RAIL, number 948, page 43
3. A frame on which a canvas is stretched for painting.
4. A device to stretch shoes or gloves.
5. A brick laid with the longest side exposed (compare header).
   The quoins should be two feet long and one foot broad on the bed, and regularly built, stretcher and header alternately 1857, John Ewart, The Agriculturist's Assistant
6. (architecture) A piece of timber used in building.
7. (slang) A lie; an overstretching of the truth.
8. (nautical) A board against which a rower places his feet.
   The jointed stretcher is used in place of the sectional bottom board, with two sideboards, one each side of stretcher. The boat set up this way only weights 20 pounds, and makes a very convenient boat for trout-fishing, duck-hunting, or exploring in ponds or streams where the paddle will do as well as the oars. 1884, J. W. Collins, Bulletin of the United States National Museum: Great International Fisheries Exhibition, page 703
   Directly the oar has been disengaged from the water, all pressure on the stretcher ceases, and the strain of the recovery of the body is eased by a slight pull with the feet on the straps of the stretcher. 1900, Alfred Edward Thomas Watson, The Young Sportsman, page 479
   Betwean each beam of the boat is also fastened a piece of timber called a stretcher or footspur, against which they place their feet when rowing, to enable them to have a more complete command of their oar. 1909, Samuel McSkimin, The History and Antiquities of the County of the Town of Carrickfergus, from the Earliest Records Till 1839, page 362
   Each rower's feet are set in shoes which are secured in the boat in a stretcher (or foot board) set into a fixed position to suit the length of the rower's legs. 2003, J. Alswang, The South African Dictionary of Sport, page 203
   […] these seem to indicate a thwart, foot-timber (stretcher), thole-pin combination for rowing. 2014, Sean Mcgrail, Ancient Boats in North-West Europe, page 80
9. One of the rods in an umbrella, attached at one end to one of the ribs, and at the other to the tube sliding upon the handle.
10. (obsolete) A penis, especially a long penis.

verb

1. (transitive) To carry (an injured person) on a stretcher.
   Claire Elise Tisdall, a volunteer nurse working in London, watched as a soldier was strechered past her one night. 2022, Lindsey Fitzharris, The Facemaker, page 37