verb

étendre

hang · spread · extend

Mettre quelque chose à plat pour qu’il prenne plus de place ou pour le faire sécher.

Definition & meaning

étendre is a French verb meaning to extend, stretch, spread, or lay out. Its exact sense depends on what is being extended:

To stretch or spread something out: to make it cover a larger area or lie flat. For example, étendre le linge means “to hang out the laundry.”
To extend or enlarge: to increase the reach, scope, or duration of something, such as a territory, a rule, or a period of time.
To hold or reach out: as with an arm or a hand.
In its reflexive form, s’étendre: to spread over an area, to lie down, or to elaborate on a subject.

Grammar & Word origin

étendre is an infinitive verb and is irregularly conjugated. Its present-tense forms include j’étends, tu étends, il/elle étend, and nous étendons. Its past participle is étendu.

The reflexive form is s’étendre, used when the subject spreads or stretches themselves or occupies an area.

The verb comes from Latin extendere, meaning “to stretch out” or “extend.” Its parts derive from ex- (“out”) and tendere (“to stretch”).

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms vary by context:

déployer — to unfold or spread out, often something that can be opened or displayed.
allonger — to make longer; more specifically focused on length.
agrandir — to enlarge or increase in size.
répandre — to disperse or spread something, especially liquid, material, or information.
s’étaler — to spread out or cover an area; it can also mean to sprawl.