Question about the phrase; to stretch the truth. This phrase sounds like "to change the truth by stretching it," but I understand that this is just a literal definition.

But if this way of defining the phrase is true, the "truth" might not be changed so badly, as the general meaning of "stretch" is merely to "extend something," and thus, stretching the truth just mean to "blow the truth out of proportion to the point where it is not genuinely accurate anymore but it still contains/maintains a fraction of its original meaning."

However, if the above interpretation of the phrase is incorrect, the meaning of "stretching the truth" would be to completely warp/distort the truth, insofar as it no longer leaves the essence of the original meaning.

What is your take on the essential meaning of this phrase?