v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Reached Raught, the old preterit, is obsolete); p. pr. & vb. n. Reaching. ] [ OE. rechen, AS. r&aemacr_;can, r&aemacr_;cean, to extend, stretch out; akin to D. reiken, G. reichen, and possibly to AS. rīce powerful, rich, E. rich. √115. ] 1. To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ] Her tresses yellow, and long straughten, Unto her heeles down they raughten. Rom. of R. [ 1913 Webster ] Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side. John xx. 27. [ 1913 Webster ] Fruit trees, over woody, reached too far Their pampered boughs. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ] He reached me a full cup. 2 Esd. xiv. 39. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; to 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. [ 1913 Webster ] O patron power, . . . thy present aid afford, Than I may reach the beast. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. To strike, hit, or touch with a missile; as, to reach an object with an arrow, a bullet, or a shell. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as. [ 1913 Webster ] If these examples of grown men reach not the case of children, let them examine. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent; as, his land reaches the river. [ 1913 Webster ] Thy desire . . . leads to no excess That reaches blame. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] 7. To arrive at; to come to; to get as far as. [ 1913 Webster ] Before this letter reaches your hands. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ] 8. To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to. [ 1913 Webster ] The best account of the appearances of nature which human penetration can reach, comes short of its reality. Cheyne. [ 1913 Webster ] 9. To understand; to comprehend. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Do what, sir? I reach you not. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ] 10. To overreach; to deceive. [ Obs. ] South. [ 1913 Webster ] |