Adjacent Words

Reach definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

REACH, v.t. Raught, the ancient preterit, is obsolete. The verb is now regular; pp. reached. L. rego, to rule or govern, to make right or straight, that is, to strain or stretch, the radical sense. The English sense of reach appears in L. porrigo and porricio. Greek, to reach, to stretch, the radical sense of desiring. L. fragro. But the primary sense is the same, to reach, to extend, to shoot forth, to urge.]
1. To extend; to stretch; in a general sense; sometimes followed by out and forth; as, to reach out the arm. Hence,
2. To extend to; to touch by extending either the arm alone, or with an instrument in the hand; as, to reach a book on the shelf; I cannot reach the object with my cane; the seaman reaches the bottom of the river with a pole or a line.
3. To strike from a distance.
O patron power, thy present aid afford, that I may reach the beast.
4. To deliver with the hand by extending the arm; to hand. He reached [to] me an orange.
He reached me a full cup.
5. To extend or stretch from a distance.
Reach hither thy finger - reach hither thy hand. John 20.
6. To arrive at; to come to. The ship reached her port in safety. We reached New York on Thursday. The letter reached me at seven o'clock.
7. To attain to or arrive at, by effort, labor or study; hence, to gain or obtain. Every artist should attempt to reach the point of excellence.
The best accounts of the appearances of nature which human penetration can reach, come short of its reality.
8. To penetrate to.
Whatever alterations are made in the body, if they reach not the mind, there is no perception.
9. To extend to so as to include or comprehend in fact or principle.
The law reached the intention of the promoters, and this act fixed the natural price of money.
If these examples of grown men reach not the case of children, let them examine.
10. To extend to.
Thy desire leads to no excess that reaches blame.
11. To extend; to spread abroad.
Trees reach'd too far their pampered boughs.
12. To take with the hand.
Lest therefore now his bolder hand reach also of the tree of life and eat. [Unusual.]
13. To overreach; to deceive.
REACH, v.i.
1. To be extended.
The new world reaches quite across the torrid zone.
The border shall descend, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward. Numbers 34.
And behold, a ladder set on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. Genesis 28.
2. To penetrate.
Ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth to heaven. 2 Chronicles 28.
3. To make efforts to vomit. [See Retch.]
To reach after, to make efforts to attain to or obtain.
He would be in a posture of mind, reaching after a positive idea of infinity.
REACH, n.
1. In a general sense, extension; a stretching; extent.
2. The power of extending to, or of taking by the hand, or by any instrument managed by the hand. The book is not within my reach. The bottom of the sea is not within the reach of a line or cable.
3. Power of attainment or management, or the limit of power, physical or moral. He used all the means within his reach. The causes of phenomena are often beyond the reach of human intellect.
Be sure yourself and your own reach to know.
4. Effort of the mind in contrivance or research; contrivance; scheme.
- Drawn by others who had deeper reaches than themselves to matters which they least intended.
5. A fetch; an artifice to obtain an advantage.
The duke of Parma had particular reaches and ends of his own underhand, to cross the design.
6. Tendency to distant consequences.
Strain not my speech to grosser issues, nor to larger reach than to suspicion.
7. Extent.
And on the left hand, hell with long reach interpos'd.
8. Among seamen, the distance between two points on the banks of a river, in which the current flows in a straight course.
9. An effort to vomit.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the limits within which something can be effective; "range of motion"; "he was beyond the reach of their fire" [syn: range, reach]
2: an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"; "a piano has a greater range than the human voice"; "the ambit of municipal legislation"; "within the compass of this article"; "within the scope of an investigation"; "outside the reach of the law"; "in the political orbit of a world power" [syn: scope, range, reach, orbit, compass, ambit]
3: the act of physically reaching or thrusting out [syn: reach, reaching, stretch]
4: the limit of capability; "within the compass of education" [syn: compass, range, reach, grasp] v
1: reach a destination, either real or abstract; "We hit Detroit by noon"; "The water reached the doorstep"; "We barely made it to the finish line"; "I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts" [syn: reach, make, attain, hit, arrive at, gain]
2: reach a point in time, or a certain state or level; "The thermometer hit 100 degrees"; "This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour" [syn: reach, hit, attain]
3: move forward or upward in order to touch; also in a metaphorical sense; "Government reaches out to the people" [syn: reach, reach out]
4: be in or establish communication with; "Our advertisements reach millions"; "He never contacted his children after he emigrated to Australia" [syn: reach, get through, get hold of, contact]
5: to gain with effort; "she achieved her goal despite setbacks" [syn: achieve, accomplish, attain, reach]
6: to extend as far as; "The sunlight reached the wall"; "Can he reach?" "The chair must not touch the wall" [syn: reach, extend to, touch]
7: reach a goal, e.g., "make the first team"; "We made it!"; "She may not make the grade" [syn: reach, make, get to, progress to]
8: place into the hands or custody of; "hand me the spoon, please"; "Turn the files over to me, please"; "He turned over the prisoner to his lawyers" [syn: pass, hand, reach, pass on, turn over, give]
9: to exert much effort or energy; "straining our ears to hear" [syn: strive, reach, strain]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English rechen, from Old English r?can; akin to Old High German reichen to reach, Lithuanian rai˛ytis to stretch oneself Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to stretch out ; extend b. thrust 2. a. to touch or grasp by extending a part of the body (as a hand) or an object <couldn't reach the apple> b. to pick up and draw toward one ; take c. (1) to extend to <the shadow reached the wall> (2) to get up to or as far as ; come to <your letter reached me yesterday> <his voice reached the last rows> <they hoped to reach an agreement> d. (1) encompass (2) to make an impression on (3) to communicate with 3. to hand over ; pass intransitive verb 1. a. to make a stretch with or as if with one's hand b. to strain after something 2. a. project, extend <his land reaches to the river> b. to arrive at or come to something <as far as the eye could reach> 3. to sail on a reach • reachable adjective • reacher noun II. noun Date: 1536 1. a continuous stretch or expanse; especially a straight portion of a stream or river 2. a. (1) the action or an act of reaching (2) an individual part of a progression or journey b. (1) a reachable distance <within reach> (2) ability to reach <had a long reach> c. an extent or range especially of knowledge or comprehension 3. a bearing shaft or coupling pole; especially the rod joining the hind axle to the forward bolster of a wagon 4. the tack sailed by a ship with the wind coming just forward of the beam or with the wind directly abeam or abaft the beam 5. echelon, level — usually used in plural <the upper reaches of academia>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v. 1 intr. & tr. (often foll. by out) stretch out; extend. 2 intr. stretch out a limb, the hand, etc.; make a reaching motion or effort. 3 intr. (often foll. by for) make a motion or effort to touch or get hold of, or to attain (reached for his pipe). 4 tr. get as far as; arrive at (reached Lincoln at lunch-time; your letter reached me today). 5 tr. get to or attain (a specified point) on a scale (the temperature reached 90°; the number of applications reached 100). 6 intr. (foll. by to) attain to; be adequate for (my income will not reach to it). 7 tr. succeed in achieving; attain (have reached agreement). 8 tr. make contact with the hand etc., or by telephone etc. (was out all day and could not be reached). 9 tr. succeed in influencing or having the required effect on (could not manage to reach their audience). 10 tr. hand, pass (reach me that book). 11 tr. take with an outstretched hand. 12 intr. Naut. sail with the wind abeam or abaft the beam. --n. 1 the extent to which a hand etc. can be reached out, influence exerted, motion carried out, or mental powers used. 2 an act of reaching out. 3 a continuous extent, esp. a stretch of river between two bends, or the part of a canal between locks. 4 Naut. a distance traversed in reaching. Phrases and idioms: out of reach not able to be reached or attained. reach-me-down ready-made. Derivatives: reachable adj. reacher n. Etymology: OE ræcan f. WG

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Retch Retch, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Retched; p. pr. & vb. n. Retching.] [AS. hr?can to clear the throat, hawk, fr. hraca throat; akin to G. rachen, and perhaps to E. rack neck.] To make an effort to vomit; to strain, as in vomiting. [Written also reach.] Beloved Julia, hear me still beseeching! (Here he grew inarticulate with retching.) --Byron.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reach Reach, n. An effort to vomit. [R.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reach Reach, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reached(Raught, the old preterit, is obsolete); p. pr. & vb. n. Reaching.] [OE. rechen, AS. r[=ae]can, r[=ae]cean, to extend, stretch out; akin to D. reiken, G. reichen, and possibly to AS. r[=i]ce powerful, rich, E. rich. [root]115.] 1. To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like. Her tresses yellow, and long straughten, Unto her heeles down they raughten. --Rom. of R. Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side. --John xx. 27. Fruit trees, over woody, reached too far Their pampered boughs. --Milton. 2. Hence, to deliver by stretching out a member, especially the hand; to give with the hand; to pass to another; to hand over; as, to reach one a book. He reached me a full cap. --2 Esd. xiv. 39. 3. To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; too extend some part of the body, or something held by one, so as to touch, strike, grasp, or the like; as, to reach an object with the hand, or with a spear. O patron power, . . . thy present aid afford, Than I may reach the beast. --Dryden. 4. To strike, hit, or tough with a missile; as, to reach an object with an arrow, a bullet, or a shell. 5. Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as. If these examples of grown men reach not the case of children, let them examine. --Locke. 6. To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent; as, his hand reaches the river. Thy desire . . . leads to no excess That reaches blame. --Milton. 7. To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to. The best account of the appearances of nature which human penetration can reach, comes short of its reality. --Cheyne. 9. To understand; to comprehend. [Obs.] Do what, sir? I reach you not. --Beau. & Fl. 10. To overreach; to deceive. [Obs.] --South.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reach Reach, n. 1. The act of stretching or extending; extension; power of reaching or touching with the person, or a limb, or something held or thrown; as, the fruit is beyond my reach; to be within reach of cannon shot. 2. The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity. Drawn by others who had deeper reaches than themselves to matters which they least intended. --Hayward. Be sure yourself and your own reach to know. --Pope. 3. Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope. And on the left hand, hell, With long reach, interposed. --Milton. I am to pray you not to strain my speech To grosser issues, nor to larger reach Than to suspicion. --Shak. 4. An extended portion of land or water; a stretch; a straight portion of a stream or river, as from one turn to another; a level stretch, as between locks in a canal; an arm of the sea extending up into the land. ``The river's wooded reach.'' --Tennyson. The coast . . . is very full of creeks and reaches. --Holland. 5. An article to obtain an advantage. The Duke of Parma had particular reaches and ends of his own underhand to cross the design. --Bacon. 6. The pole or rod which connects the hind axle with the forward bolster of a wagon.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reach Reach, v. t. 1. To stretch out the hand. Goddess humane, reach, then, and freely taste! --Milton. 2. To strain after something; to make efforts. Reaching above our nature does no good. --Dryden. 3. To extend in dimension, time, amount, action, influence, etc., so as to touch, attain to, or be equal to, something. And behold, a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. --Gen. xxviii. 12. The new world reaches quite across the torrid zone. --Boyle. 4. (Naut.) To sail on the wind, as from one point of tacking to another, or with the ind nearly abeam. To reach after or at, to make efforts to attain to or obtain. He would be in the mind reaching after a positive idea of infinity. --Locke.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(reaches, reaching, reached) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. When someone or something reaches a place, they arrive there. He did not stop until he reached the door... He reached Cambridge shortly before three o'clock. VERB: V n, V n 2. If someone or something has reached a certain stage, level, or amount, they are at that stage, level, or amount. The process of political change in South Africa has reached the stage where it is irreversible... We're told the figure could reach 100,000 next year. VERB: V n, V n 3. If you reach somewhere, you move your arm and hand to take or touch something. Judy reached into her handbag and handed me a small printed leaflet... He reached up for an overhanging branch. VERB: V prep/adv, V prep/adv 4. If you can reach something, you are able to touch it by stretching out your arm or leg. Can you reach your toes with your fingertips? VERB: V n 5. If you try to reach someone, you try to contact them, usually by telephone. Has the doctor told you how to reach him or her in emergencies?... = contact VERB: V n 6. If something reaches a place, point, or level, it extends as far as that place, point, or level. ...a nightshirt which reached to his knees... The water level in Lake Taihu has reached record levels... VERB: V to n, V n 7. When people reach an agreement or a decision, they succeed in achieving it. A meeting of agriculture ministers in Luxembourg today has so far failed to reach agreement over farm subsidies... They are meeting in Lusaka in an attempt to reach a compromise. VERB: V n, V n 8. Someone's or something's reach is the distance or limit to which they can stretch, extend, or travel. Isabelle placed a wine cup on the table within his reach. N-UNCOUNT: oft poss N 9. If a place or thing is within reach, it is possible to have it or get to it. If it is out of reach, it is not possible to have it or get to it. It is located within reach of many important Norman towns, including Bayeux... The price is ten times what it normally is and totally beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Extend, stretch, stretch forth, hold forth. 2. Touch in extent, extend to. 3. Strike, hit. 4. Arrive at, come to, get to, get at, make way to. 5. Get, obtain, attain to, gain, be advanced to. II. v. n. Extend, be extended. III. n. 1. Reaching, extension. 2. Power to reach. 3. Capacity, capability, grasp, power of attainment. 4. Penetration, depth of thought. 5. Extent, extension, stretch, range, compass, distance, space, span, spread, expanse. 6. Application, influence, result. 7. (Rare.) Stratagem, ruse, fetch, artifice, scheme, contrivance.

Moby Thesaurus

accomplish, achieve, aesthetic distance, affect, ambit, amount, amount to, amplitude, answer, approach, approach anchorage, area, arm, armlet, arrive, arrive at, arrive in, arrive upon, assail the ear, attain, attain to, auditory range, avail, balance, bay, bayou, be equal to, be heard, be received, bear, bear down on, bear down upon, bear up for, bear up to, belt, bight, bigness, blow in, bob up, boca, body, breadth, break even, bribe, buck, bulk, buy, buy off, caliber, capability, capacity, caress the ear, carry, carry to, carrying distance, check in, circulate, clearance, clip off, clock in, close with, come, come across with, come at, come in, come to, come to hand, come up to, come upon, communicate with, compass, contact, correspond, corrupt, cove, cover, coverage, creek, cut, deep space, degree, deliver, deliver over, depth, depths of space, diameter, diapason, dimension, dimensions, distance, distribute, ditto, divergence, do, do it, draw, earreach, earshot, encompass, environ, equal, establish connection, estuary, euripus, even, even off, expanse, expansion, extend, extend to, extension, extent, fall upon, farness, fetch, fetch up at, fill the bill, find, fix, fjord, fork over, forward, frith, fulfill, gain, gain a hearing, gamut, gauge, get, get across, get at, get by, get in, get there, get through to, get to, girth, give in, give out, give over, go, go aboard, go alongside, go around, go at, go out, go to, grade, grease, grease the palm, greatness, grieve, gulf, gut, hack it, hand, hand in, hand out, hand over, harbor, hearing, height, hit, hit town, hit upon, hold, hold out, horizon, impress, infinity, influence, inlet, interrogate, interval, just do, keep pace with, ken, knot, kyle, largeness, lay aboard, lay for, lay in, lead to, leap, leeway, length, lengthiness, level, lie, lie in, light upon, light-years, linear measures, loch, long time, longitude, longness, magnitude, maintain connection, make, make advances, make an impression, make at, make contact with, make for, make it, make oneself heard, make overtures, make the grade, make up to, margin, mark, mass, match, match up with, measure, measure up to, measurement, meet, meet requirements, melt, melt the heart, mileage, mouth, move, narrow, narrow seas, narrows, natural harbor, notch, nuance, orbit, outreach, outstretch, overall length, parallel, parsecs, pas, pass, pass muster, pass out, pass over, pay off, peg, period, perpetuity, perspective, piece, pitch, pitch upon, plane, plateau, point, pop up, proportion, proportions, pull in, punch in, purchase, purview, put away for, put in, put into port, qualify, question, radius, raise, range, ratio, reach out, reach the ear, reach to, realize, register, register with, relate to, remoteness, remove, render, reply to, resign, respond to, ring in, rival, road, roads, roadstead, roll in, round, run, run abreast, run for, run to, rung, sadden, sail for, satisfy, scale, scope, score, separation, serve, serve the purpose, shade, shadow, shoot, show, show up, sign in, size, soften, sound, space, span, spectrum, sphere, spread, stack up with, stair, stand, stand for, stand up, standard, steer toward, step, stick out, stint, stir, straddle, strait, straits, stretch, stretch away to, stretch out, stretch to, stride, strike upon, stumble on, stumble upon, suborn, suffice, surrender, surround, sway, sweep, take care of, take in, take it, tamper with, territory, thrust out, tickle the palm, tie, time in, touch, transfer, tread, turn over, turn up, volume, way, ways, width, win, work, yardage