Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - extend

 verb  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French estendre, from Latin ~ere, from ex- + tendere to stretch — more at thin  Date: 14th century  transitive verb  1. to spread or stretch forth ; unbend ~ed both her arms  2.  a. to stretch out to fullest length  b. to cause (as a horse) to move at full stride  c. to exert (oneself) to full capacity could work long and hard without seeming to ~ himself  d.  (1) to increase the bulk of (as by adding a cheaper substance or a modifier)  (2) adulterate  3. Middle English, from Medieval Latin ~ere (from Latin) or Anglo-French estendre, from Old French  a. British to take possession of (as lands) by a writ of extent  b. obsolete to take by force  4.  a. to make the offer of ; proffer ~ing aid to the needy ~ing their greetings  b. to make available ~ing credit to customers  5.  a. to cause to reach (as in distance or scope) national authority was ~ed over new territories  b. to cause to be longer ; prolong ~ the side of a triangle ~ed their visit another day; also to prolong the time of payment of  c. advance, further ~ing her potential through job training  6.  a. to cause to be of greater area or volume ; enlarge ~ed the patio to the back of the house  b. to increase the scope, meaning, or application of ; broaden beauty, I suppose, opens the heart, ~s the consciousness — Algernon Blackwood ~ing the meaning of the word  c. archaic exaggerate  intransitive verb  1. to stretch out in distance, space, or time ; reach their jurisdiction ~ed over the whole area  2. to reach in scope or application his concern ~s beyond mere business to real service to his customers  • ~ability noun  • ~able also ~ible adjective Synonyms:  ~, lengthen, prolong, protract mean to draw out or add to so as to increase in length. ~ and lengthen imply a drawing out in space or time but ~ may also imply increase in width, scope, area, or range ~ a vacation ~ welfare services lengthen a skirt lengthen the workweek. prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits prolonged illness. protract adds to prolong implications of needlessness, vexation, or indefiniteness protracted litigation.