reach (rēch)

v., reached, reach·ing, reach·es.

v.tr.

1. To stretch out or put forth (a body part); extend: reached out an arm.
2. To touch or grasp by stretching out or extending: can't reach the shelf.
3. To arrive at; attain: reached a conclusion; reached their destination.
4. 1. To succeed in getting in contact with or communicating with: They reached us by phone. Our newsletter reaches a specialized readership.
   2. To succeed in having an effect on: No one seems able to reach her anymore.
5. 1. To extend as far as: The property reaches the shore.
   2. To project as far as: A distant cry reached our ears.
   3. To travel as far as: a long fly ball that reached the stadium's wall.
6. To aggregate or amount to: Sales reached the millions.
7. Informal. To grasp and hand over to another: Reach me the sugar.

v.intr.

1. To thrust out or extend something.
2. To try to grasp or touch something: reached for a book.
3. 1. To have extension in space or time: a coat that reaches to the knee; a career that reached over several decades.
   2. To be extensive in influence or effect.
4. To make an excessive effort, as in drawing a conclusion or making a joke; overreach.
5. Nautical. To sail with the wind abeam.

n.

1. The act or an instance of stretching or thrusting out.
2. The extent or distance something can reach.
3. 1. Range of understanding; comprehension: a subject beyond my reach.
   2. Range or scope of influence or effect.
4. An expanse: a reach of prairie; the lower reaches of the food chain.
5. A pole connecting the rear axle of a vehicle with the front.
6. Nautical. The tack of a sailing vessel with the wind abeam.
7. The stretch of water visible between bends in a river or channel.

[Middle English rechen, from Old English rǣcan.]

reachable reach'a·ble adj.
reacher reach'er n.

SYNONYMS   reach, achieve, attain, gain, compass. These verbs mean to succeed in arriving at a goal or objective. Reach is the least specific: reached home before dark; reach an understanding. Achieve suggests the application of skill or initiative: achieved national recognition. Attain implies the impelling force of ambition, principle, or ideals: trying to attain self-confidence. Gain connotes considerable effort in surmounting obstacles: gained the workers' trust. Compass implies succeeding by circumventing impediments: will compass the task. See also synonyms at range.

---

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

---