reach
Forms
- present (v1)
- reach
- past (v2)
- reached
- past participle (v3)
- reached
- present participle
- reaching
- 3rd person singular
- reaches
- Plural
- reaches
Definitions
1.To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand).
- He reached for his shoe with his legs.
- He reached for a weapon that was on the table.
2.To give to someone by stretching out a limb, especially the hand; to give with the hand; to pass to another person; to hand over.
- When Svend Fælling had promised to do so, saying that he thought himself strong and active enough for the encounter, the Troll reached him a heavy iron bar, and bade him show his strength on that.
3.To stretch out the hand.
- I haven't been able to reach Tom.
- Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
4.To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; to extend some part of the body, or something held, so as to touch, strike, grasp, etc.
- “I can't quite reach the pepper. Could you pass it to me?”
- The gun was stored in a small box on a high closet shelf, but the boy managed to reach it by climbing on other boxes.
1.The act of stretching or extending; extension.
2.The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity.
- Be sure yourself and your own reach to know.
- Drawn by others who had deeper reaches than themselves to matters which they least intended.
3.Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope.
- And on the left hand, hell, / With long reach, interposed.
- I am to pray you not to strain my speech / To grosser issues, nor to larger reach / Than to suspicion.
4.The ability to reach or touch with the person, a limb, or something held or thrown.
- The fruit is beyond my reach.
Frequency
Overall
Very common· #498
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Very common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Common
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English rechen, from Old English rǣċan (“to reach”), from Proto-West Germanic *raikijan, from Proto-Germanic *raikijaną, from the Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ- (“to bind, reach”).
Cognate with Dutch reiken, German reichen.