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Region: General | Usage example: They stretched the budget to cover extra hires.

Stretch the budget

Meaning

Make funds go further than expected.

Usage

Used when describing economical decisions.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Expanding slack to fit more.

Used in finance and planning contexts.

Related Idioms

Drop the ball

Fail to do something expected.

Piece of cake

Something that is very easy to do, especially compared with what was expected.

Bail out

Rescue someone or something from trouble, often with funds

More Idioms

Break the ice

To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation.

Cut to the chase

Skip ahead to the most important or exciting part of something.

The ball is in your court

It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Throw in the towel

To concede defeat or admit a struggle isn't worth continuing.