Reach

v. t. [imp. & p. p. REACHED (rēcht) (RAUGHT, the ancient preterit, is obsolete); p. pr. & vb. n. REACHING.] [O. Eng. rechen, A-S. ræcan, ræccan, to extend, stretch out, and recian, recean, reccan, to extend, D. reiken, to reach, rekken, to stretch, extend, N. H. Ger. reichen, to reach, recken, to stretch, O. H. Ger. reichjan, reichôn; rechjan, rachjan, Icel. reikja, rakna, Dan. række, Sw. räcka, L. Ger. reken, O. Fries. reka, Goth. rakyan, allied to Lat. regere, to lead straight, por-rigere, to reach, Gr. ὀρέγειν, to reach.]

1Sense 1. To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like.

Reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side. John xx. 27. Trees reached too far their pampered boughs. Milton.

2Sense 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.

3Sense 3. To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; to extend some part of one, or something held by one, so as to touch, strike, grasp, or the like; as, to reach an object with a cane, a pole, or the like.

Lest, therefore, now his bolder hand Reach also of the tree of life and eat. Milton.

O patron power, thy present aid afford, That I may reach the beast. Dryden.

4Sense 4. Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as.

The law reached the intention of the promoters, and this act fixed the natural price of money. Locke.

If these examples of grown men reach not the case of children, let them examine. Locke.

5Sense 5. To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of dimension or extent; as, his land reaches the river.

Thy desire leads to no excess that reaches blame. Milton.

6Sense 6. To understand; to comprehend. [Obs.]

Do what, sir? I reach you not. Beau. & Fl.

7Sense 7. To arrive at; to come to; to get as far as.

“Before this letter reaches your hand.” Pope.

8Sense 8. To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to.

The best accounts of the appearances of nature which human penetration can reach, come short of its reality. Cheyne.

9Sense 9. To overreach; to deceive. [Obs.] South.

v. i. 1. To stretch out the hand.

Goddess humane, reach, then, and freely taste. Milton.

2Sense 2. To strain after something; to make efforts at attainment.

Reaching above our nature does no good. Dryden.

3Sense 3. To be extended in dimension, time, action, influence, &c., so as to touch, attain to, or be equal with something; to penetrate.

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.

4Sense 4. To make efforts to vomit; to eructate; to retch. See RETCH. [Rare.] Cheyne.

To reach after or at, to make efforts to attain to or obtain.

He would be in a posture of mind reaching after a positive idea of infinity. Locke.