From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe stretched (to the limit)be stretched (to the limit)ENOUGH#to have hardly enough money, supplies, time etc for your needs We’re stretched at the moment, otherwise we’d go. → stretch
Examples from the Corpus
be stretched (to the limit)• Curtains of closely woven cotton lace were stretched across the windows, fastened so tightly they kept out both air and sun.• In the process, however, nerves and resources were stretched almost to the breaking point.• But now with several hundred thousand more people, municipal services are stretched beyond belief.• I was stretched full-length upon the bodies, my battered hand resting on the rim of the tub.• A woman was stretched lazily along it.• Cantor was stretched out on his bed, content and tired, the telephone cradled at his neck.• In the first phrase, for example, the normal eight bars are stretched to nine.• Olympic ideals were stretched to the limit. 