reach: Meaning and Definition of

reach

Pronunciation: (rēch), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to get to or get as far as in moving, going, traveling, etc.: The boat reached the shore.
  2. to come to or arrive at in some course of progress, action, etc.: Your letter never reached me.
  3. to succeed in touching or seizing with an outstretched hand, a pole, etc.: to reach a book on a high shelf.
  4. to stretch or hold out; extend: reaching out a hand in greeting.
  5. to stretch or extend so as to touch or meet: The bookcase reaches the ceiling.
  6. to establish communication with: I called but couldn't reach you.
  7. to amount to, as in the sum or total: The cost will reach millions.
  8. to penetrate to: distant stars the eye cannot reach.
  9. to succeed in striking or hitting, as with a weapon or missile: The artillery fire reached the shore.
  10. to succeed in making contact with, influencing, impressing, interesting, convincing, etc.: a program that reached a large teenage audience.
—v.i.
  1. to make a stretch, as with the hand or arm.
  2. to become outstretched, as the hand or arm.
  3. to make a movement or effort as if to touch or seize something: to reach for a weapon.
  4. to extend in operation or effect: power that reaches throughout the land.
  5. to stretch in space; extend in direction, length, distance, etc.: a coat reaching to the knee; a tower reaching to the skies.
  6. to extend or continue in time.
  7. to get or come to a specified place, person, condition, etc. (often fol. by to).
  8. to amount (often fol. by to): sums reaching to a considerable total.
  9. to penetrate: Fields of flowers extended as far as the eye could reach.
  10. to assert or agree without certainty or sufficient evidence; infer hastily: I'd be reaching if I said I had the answer to your question.
    1. to sail on a reach.
    2. to sail with the wind forward of the beam but so as not to require sailing close-hauled.
—n.
  1. an act or instance of reaching: to make a reach for a gun.
  2. the extent or distance of reaching: within reach of his voice.
  3. range of effective action, power, or capacity.
  4. a continuous stretch or extent of something: a reach of woodland.
  5. Also calleda level portion of a canal, between locks.
  6. a point of sailing in which the wind is within a few points of the beam, either forward of the beamdirectly abeamor abaft the beam
  7. the pole connecting the rear axle of a wagon to the transverse bar or bolster over the front axle supporting the wagon bed.
  8. a straight portion of a river between two bends.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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