Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

[ English

[ Etymology

Old English rǣċan. Cognate with Dutch reiken, German reichen.

[ Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɹiːtʃ/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -iːtʃ

[ Verb

to reach (third-person singular simple present reaches, present participle reaching, simple past and past participle reached)

1. To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like.
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.
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.
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.
6. To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent; as, his hand reaches the river.
7. To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to.
8. To understand; to comprehend.
9. To stretch out the hand.
10. To strain after something; to make efforts.
11. To extend in dimension, time, amount, action, influence, etc., so as to touch, attain to, or be equal to, something.

[ Translations

[ Noun

reach (plural reaches)

1. The act of stretching or extending; extension; power of reaching or touching with the person, or a limb, or something held or thrown.

   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.
3. Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope.
4. (informal) An exaggeration; an extension beyond evidence or normal; a stretch.

   To call George eloquent is certainly a reach.

5. (boxing) The distance a boxer's arm can extend to land a blow.
6. 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.
7. (nautical) Any point of sail in which the wind comes from the side of a vessel.

[ Translations

[ See also

• beam reach
• broad reach

[ West Frisian

[ Noun

1. Spider-web