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REFERENCE

extend

v.
US //ɪkˈstɛnd// UK //ɛkstˈɛnd// ex·tend
  1. 1 to make longer or larger (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to make something bigger or longer in space.

    to increase the physical length, area, or scope of something.

    Example

    The family decided to extend their kitchen to make room for a larger dining table.

    Example

    The city council plans to extend the light rail system into the northern suburbs to alleviate morning traffic congestion.
  2. 2 to make last longer (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to make something continue for a longer time.

    to prolong the duration of an event, deadline, or period of time.

    Example

    The teacher agreed to extend the deadline for the essay until Friday.

    Example

    The government decided to extend the tax incentive for another fiscal year to encourage further investment in renewable energy.
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  1. 3 to reach or cover an area (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to reach a certain point or cover a specific distance.

    to occupy a certain space or reach a specific physical limit.

    Example

    The forest extends for miles along the coast.

    Example

    The property line extends all the way to the river bank, though the fence stops several meters short of the water.
  2. 4 to offer or give (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    to offer something to someone, like an invitation, thanks, or a hand.

    to formally offer or bestow a gesture, invitation, or sentiment.

    Example

    I would like to extend a warm welcome to our guest speaker today.

    Example

    The CEO extended an invitation to the junior analysts to join the strategy meeting, seeking a fresh perspective on the market trends.
  3. 5 to straighten a limb (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    to straighten out your arm or leg.

    to straighten a joint or limb, increasing the angle between the bones.

    Example

    Extend your arms fully above your head while you breathe in.

    Example

    The physical therapist instructed the patient to slowly extend the knee until the leg was completely straight, monitoring for any signs of discomfort.
  4. 6 software inheritance (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    to use an existing set of computer code to build a new, more specific one.

    to create a subclass that inherits the properties and methods of a parent class.

    Example

    In this program, the 'Car' class will extend the 'Vehicle' class.

    Example

    By choosing to extend the base controller, the developer was able to reuse the authentication logic without duplicating code across the application.
Origin

From Middle English extenden, from Anglo-Norman extendre, estendre, from Latin extendō (“to stretch out”).

Idioms1 entry

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