Baretti: A dictionary of the English and Italian languages
Disténd-ere, v. a. (V. tendere,)
1. to stretch, spread,draw out, produce, develop. — le braccia, to stretch out the arms; 2. to distend, expand, dilate;3. to lay down, extend along; 4. to unbend a bow; 5. to kill one on the spot; 6. to put down one's ideas in writing, to compose; 7. to expatiate upon any subject; 8. (naut. t) to spread (the sails); 9. (mil. t.) to deploy, to form a more extended front or line; v. r. to enlarge, dwell upon a subject; s. m. Disténd-itóre, f.Disténd-itríce; adj. Disténd-énte.
Florio: a worlde of wordes, or most copious, dictionarie in Italian and English