Definition of "stretcher"

This done, he sank on to a stretcher, and glanced meditatively about the room.

1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XIV, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 153

The goal also cost the Blues the services of Luiz, who was injured in attempting to clear and was taken off on a stretcher and replaced by Gary Cahill.

2012 April 15, Phil McNulty, “Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea”, in BBC‎

There, characteristically, he refused to be carried on a stretcher, saying he was too heavy for nurses. He walked in with their support.

2022 January 12, Benedict le Vay, “The heroes of Soham...”, in RAIL, number 948, page 43

A twelve-by-fourteen canvas would not pin in his box, so he had to make a stretcher for it, and very neatly he made it, out of strips of butter-box.

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, page 48

The quoins should be two feet long and one foot broad on the bed, and regularly built, stretcher and header alternately

1857, John Ewart, The Agriculturist's Assistant

The jointed stretcher is used in place of the sectional bottom board, with two sideboards, one each side of stretcher. The boat set up this way only weights 20 pounds, and makes a very convenient boat for trout-fishing, duck-hunting, or exploring in ponds or streams where the paddle will do as well as the oars.

1884, J. W. Collins, Bulletin of the United States National Museum: Great International Fisheries Exhibition, page 703

Directly the oar has been disengaged from the water, all pressure on the stretcher ceases, and the strain of the recovery of the body is eased by a slight pull with the feet on the straps of the stretcher.

1900, Alfred Edward Thomas Watson, The Young Sportsman, page 479

Betwean each beam of the boat is also fastened a piece of timber called a stretcher or footspur, against which they place their feet when rowing, to enable them to have a more complete command of their oar.

1909, Samuel McSkimin, The History and Antiquities of the County of the Town of Carrickfergus, from the Earliest Records Till 1839, page 362

Each rower's feet are set in shoes which are secured in the boat in a stretcher (or foot board) set into a fixed position to suit the length of the rower's legs.

2003, J. Alswang, The South African Dictionary of Sport, page 203

[…] these seem to indicate a thwart, foot-timber (stretcher), thole-pin combination for rowing.

2014, Sean Mcgrail, Ancient Boats in North-West Europe‎, page 80

When our mutual trance was a little over, and the young fellow had withdrawn that delicious stretcher, with which he had most plentifully drowned all thoughts of revenge in the sense of actual pleasure, the widen'd wounded passage refunded a stream of pearly liquids, which flowed down my thighs, mixed with streaks of blood

1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […]

Claire Elise Tisdall, a volunteer nurse working in London, watched as a soldier was strechered past her one night.

2022, Lindsey Fitzharris, The Facemaker, page 37