| 释义 |
▪ I. reach, n.1|riːtʃ|
Forms: 6 reche, reache, Sc. reiche, 6–7 reatch, 7 rech, 6– reach. See also retch n.1
[f. reach v.1]
I. An act of reaching.
1. a. An (or the) act of reaching out with the arm (esp. to take hold of something), or with something held in the hand. Also transf. and fig.
1570Levins Manip. 205/10 Reache, perretio [read porrectio]. 1642Rogers Naaman Ep. Ded. 2 A few good reaches and affections after holinesse are not enough for us. 1691Norris Pract. Disc. 188 It must..fan the Flame of our Affections, and make them tend upwards with importunate reaches towards Heavenly Objects. 1711Steele Spect. No. 38 ⁋1 Her Fan was to point to somewhat at a Distance, that in the Reach she may discover the Roundness of her Arm. 1825Longfellow Sunrise on Hills 22 The woods were bending with a silent reach. 1881‘Mark Twain’ Prince & Pauper xxii. 256 A brawny blacksmith..made a reach for him.
b. With indication of, or reference to, the space or distance covered in the act of reaching.
1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 231 Making him fit to take longer reaches without doubling of his legs. a1680Charnock Attrib. God (1834) II. 41 Otherwise the reaches of a created..fancy would be more extensive than the power of God. 1874T. Hardy Far from Madding Crowd xlix, You needn't take quite such long reaches with your rake. 1884St. James's Gaz. 29 Mar. 5/2 Their pace then began to fall off, and the reach shortened all through the boat.
†2. fig.
a. An attempt to attain or achieve something; a design or aim; a device, scheme, plan, contrivance. Obs. (very common c 1590–1700).
1590Tarlton News Purgat. (1844) 84 Master Vickar had a reach in his head. 1621–3Middleton & Rowley Changeling v. i, This is my reach: I'll set Some part a-fire of Diaphanta's chamber. 1678Butler Hudibras iii. ii. 1583 But Jesuits have deeper Reaches In all their Politick Far⁓fetches. a1734North Exam. i. ii. §6 (1740) 34 All which Matters..could not be so done without some private Reach. 1785Burke Sp. Nabob Arcot Wks. 1842 I. 329 In India this is a reach of deep policy.
†b. Without a: Scheming, policy. Obs.—1
a1635Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 36 A piece of reach and hazard beyond my apprehension.
3. spec.
†a. A term in dice-playing. Obs.—1
1600Rowlands Lett. Humours Blood iii. 59 He calles for, Come on fiue; and there it is: Or else heele haue it with fiue and a reach.
b. dial. An addition to wages.
1851Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XII. ii. 404 Hay-mowing, corn⁓cutting, etc.,..when the workmen..generally obtain a small ‘reach’ in addition to their daily wages.
4. a. A single stretch or spell of movement, travel, flight, etc.
1652–62Heylin Cosmogr. iii. (1673) 4/1 Making two long reaches in his journey hither. 1682N. O. Boileau's Lutrin iii. 24 Then wafting at one Reach, they proudly Pearch On highest Pinnacle of the fatal Church! 1873Tristram Moab xv. 290 There was a long reach and many a climb up and down before camp could be reached.
b. Naut. A run on one tack; a board. Also, a course that is approximately at right angles to the wind.
1830J. F. Cooper Water Witch xv, 'Tis by many reaches that the leeward vessel gains upon the wind. a1845Hood Pain in Pleasure-Boat 21 Bill, give that sheet another haul—she'll fetch it up this reach. 1846A. Young Naut. Dict. s.v., A vessel..is said to be on a reach, when she is sailing by the wind upon any tack. 1884Sat. Rev. 14 June 783/2 The race back..was, save one little bit, but a run and a reach. 1949Sun (Baltimore) 20 June 16/1 From the start to Sandy Point, the skippers had to face a headwind, the next leg..was a reach, while the trip to Poole's Island Light resulted in another beat. 1976Oxf. Compan. Ships & Sea 695/1 Reach, the point of sailing of a vessel which can point her course with the wind reasonably free and her sails full throughout. A broad reach is the same but with the wind abeam or from slightly abaft the beam. 1977Modern Boating (Austral.) Jan. 14/1 Destiny II will go like a rocket on a reach or a run.
II. Power of, or capacity for, reaching.
5. a. The extent to which a person can stretch out the arm or hand, esp. so as to touch or grasp something (in early use freq. pl.); the distance to which an animal can extend a limb or other part, or to which any limb can be extended. spec. in Cricket, the extent to which a batsman can play forward without moving his back foot; in Boxing (see quot. 1958).
1579Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 77 Kinges haue long armes, and rulers large reaches. 1655Fuller Hist. Camb. (1840) 179 This horse, I may say, had a long-reach. 1667Milton P.L. ix. 591 High from ground the branches would require Thy utmost reach. 1851F. Lillywhite's Guide to Cricketers 18 A good length ball depends entirely upon the size and reach of a batsman. 1866Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 327 Availing himself of his height, which..gave him a longer reach. 1897Century Mag. 562/2 Their reach forward is prodigious, as I found..when my horse's hind hoof cut the heel clean off my boot. 1897K. S. Ranjitsinhji Jubilee Bk. Cricket iii. 67 Batsmen vary greatly as to their ‘reach’—that is, the distance they can safely play forward or advance the bat in making a drive. 1951Sport 30 Mar.–5 Apr. 11/3 He quickly found that O'Hara, his opponent, was longer in the reach. 1958F. C. Avis Boxing Ref. Dict. s.v. Reach: the distance from the extremity of one hand to that of the other when the arms are fully held out sideways.
b. In prep. phrases, esp. within, above or out of (one's) reach: freq. = Ability to obtain or procure something; power to affect or injure another.
a1548Hall Chron., Henry VIII 219 The bearer..thought it..better for hym to bestowe it without the Kynges reche. 1557Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 129, I rowe not so farre past my reache. 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 86 The Traitor liues..from the reach of these my hands. 1601R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 196 They..made pray and spoile of whatsoeuer came into their reaches. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 177 The Tigre seeing them out of his reach..falls a Roaring. 1712J. James tr. Le Blond's Gard. 197 Those..cost such vast Sums, that they seem to me above the Reach of the most wealthy private Gentleman. 1781Cowper Conv. 586 Who..plucks the fruit placed more within his reach. 1871Rossetti Dante at Verona lxxxii, How the Prince Sunned himself out of Dante's reach.
c. transf. of things, in various applications.
c1586C'tess Pembroke Ps. xlvi. v, Our rock on Jacob's God we found, Above the reach of harmes. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 10 No lawful meanes can carrie me Out of his enuies reach. a1656Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 106 The Almighty is above all the reach of these unquiet perturbations. a1687Petty Pol. Arith. (1690) 103 All of these ten Millions of People are obedient to their Sovereign, and within the reach of his power. 1827Hood Hero & Leander ci, Just past the reach Of foamy billows he lies cast. 1875Encycl. Brit. I. 337/1 To plough deeply..places them [weeds] out of the reach of frost.
d. Power of reaching far.
1825J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 I. 40 Although he has weight length and reach..yet has he lost every battle.
6. Capacity or power to perform or achieve some action, attain to some state or condition, etc. (Chiefly with preps., as in 5 b.)
a. of persons.
1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 18 Whom to annoy is beyond my reache and abilitie. 1592Babington Comf. Notes Gen. l. §9 The mouing of others..to consider what wanteth to a multitude in this land, and to relieue them according to their reaches. 1711Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) III. 176 His Learning was above y⊇ common Reach. 1784Cowper Task iii. 40 The fault is obstinate, and cure beyond our reach. 1820W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 28 A picture of active yet simple virtues, which are within every man's reach. 1880L. Stephen Pope vii. 163 Anything like sustained reasoning was beyond his reach.
b. of things.
1611Tourneur Ath. Trag. ii. iv, Any circumstance That stood within the reach of the designe Of persons. 1690Locke Hum. Und. ii. xxi. §21 In respect of Actions, within the reach of such a Power in him. 1711W. King tr. Naude's Refined Politics iii. 91 A very great design with a long reach, and contrived with much judgment. 1800–24Campbell Margaret & Dora ii, Dora's eyes of heavenly blue Pass all painting's reach. 1865M. Arnold Ess. Crit. ii. (1875) 58 The highest reach of science is, one may say, an inventive power.
†c. Of the voice: Range, compass. Obs.
1597Morley Introd. Music 7 That compasse was the reach of most voyces. 1674Evelyn Diary (1827) II. 390 Mrs. Knight..who sang incomparably, and doubtlesse has the greatest reach of any Englishwoman. a1680Butler Rem. (1759) II. 429 All he does is forced, like one that sings above the Reach of his Voice.
7. a. Capacity or power of comprehension; extent of knowledge or of the ability to acquire it; range of mind or thought.
1586A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) iv, The ignorant..hereof, whose reach hath not been so ample as others. 1601Holland Pliny I. 168 His high reach and deep wit, whereby he apprehended the knowledge of all things vnder the cope of heauen. 1667Milton P.L. x. 793 Let this appease The doubt, since humane reach no further knows. 1671― Samson 1380 How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach. 1709Pope Ess. Crit. 47 Be sure your self and your own reach to know, How far your genius, taste, and learning go. 1750Johnson Rambler No. 79 ⁋3 Has a long reach in detecting the projects of his acquaintance.
b. In prep. phrases, as above, beyond, out of (one's) reach. (Cf. 5 b.)
1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. i. §23 This saiyng..whiche is fathered on Socrates.., What is aboue our reach, we haue naught to doe withall. 1572H. Middlemore in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. III. 5, I sayd they were matters owt of my reache, and farre from myne acquayntawnce. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage i. xii. (1614) 60 Many things they [Planets] foretold to Alexander..beyond the reach of men. 1671Milton Samson 62 Which herein Happ'ly had ends above my reach to know. 1711Addison Spect. No. 58 ⁋1 If my Readers meet with any Paper that in some Parts of it may be a little out of their Reach. 1842Macaulay Fredk. Gt. Ess. (1877) 663 Nothing beyond the reach of any man of good parts.
c. In phr. of (a) great (deep, etc.) reach. (Very common c 1585–1710; in later use only without article.)
1586J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 143/1 In matters of policie he was verie prudent, and of a great reach. 1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 1128 A man of greater reach and courage. 1641Milton Reform. ii. (1851) 54 Men more audacious, and precipitant, than of solid and deep reach. 1686tr. Chardin's Coronat. Solyman 103 They that had a deeper reach, were not so positive in their judgments. 1710Steele Tatler No. 246 ⁋8 Plumbeus acknowledges Levis a Man of a great Reach. 1763J. Brown Poetry & Mus. v. 54 If one..delivered his Stories in Verse, another of inferior Reach and Invention would naturally give them..in plain Prose. 1875Stedman Victorian Poets 151 To claim that they have been overrated, and are not men of high reach.
8. a. Of the mind or mental powers: Range of efficiency in speculation, acquisition of knowledge, penetration, etc.
c1580Sidney Ps. xxxvi. iv, Pleasures past the reach of mind. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxiii. §1 The mysteries of our religion are above the reach of our understanding. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. ii. vi. §2 The events..must be such as do exceed the reach of any created intellect. 1725Watts Logic (1736) 271 Matters of Fact..which lye beyond the Reach of our own personal Notice. 1744Berkeley Siris §337 The most refined human intellect, exerted to its utmost reach.
b. With a. (Approximating to sense 12 c.)
1657J. Sergeant Schism Dispatch't 261 Hath not this Dr. of Divinity a strange reach of reason? 1707Curios. in Husb. & Gard. 5 Those who have a sufficient Reach of Understanding to comprehend the..ordinary Course of Nature. 1773Life N. Frowde 21 Perhaps no Child of my Years had ever more Cunning, or a readier Reach of Thought. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 186 The ‘Utopia’ of Sir Thomas More..shows a reach of thought far beyond his contemporaries.
9. Range; scope; extent of application, effect, influence, etc.
1546J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 2 Their sentenses include so large a reache. 1570Dee Math. Pref. 37 These wordes..the reach of their meaning, is farther, then you woulde lightly imagine. 1600Heywood 2nd Pt. Edw. IV, Wks. 1874 I. 99 My simple wit Can never found a judgment of such reach. 1858Buckle Civiliz. (1869) II. vii. 378 When we compare the shortness of his life with the reach and depth of his views. 1875Whitney Life Lang. vi. 100 A process of wide reach and abundant results in English.
10. Range (of carrying or traversing).
a. of a gun, or shot.
1571–91Digges Pantom. (1591) 179 The first parte of the violent course of Gunners, commonly termed the peeces pointe blanke reache. 1662J. Davies tr. Mandelslo's Trav. 28 They could not go by, without coming within reach of our Muskets. 1698Froger Voy. 21 In order to level the shot within reach of the Place. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. v. 171 Captain Saunders alarmed them unexpectedly with a broadside, when they flattered themselves they were got out of his reach. 1805in 19th Cent. (1899) Nov. 725 We were now without any opponent within reach of our guns.
b. of the eye or sight.
1623Milton Ps. cxxxvi. 94 Above the reach of mortall ey. 1667― P.L. xi. 380 The Hemisphere of Earth..Stretcht out to amplest reach of prospect lay. 1709Addison Tatler No. 119 ⁋2 Those Heavenly Bodies which lie out of Reach of Humane Eyes. 1875Manning Mission H. Ghost xiii. 353 The capacity and the reach of the eye are developed by practice, and by experience.
c. of the voice.
1797Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xii, The travellers..were soon beyond the reach of the voices.
11. Power or possibility of getting to (or as far as) some place, person, or object; distance or limit from which some point may be reached. Only in prep. phrases, as in 5 b.
1784Cowper Task vi. 263 That has..within his reach A scene so friendly to his favourite task. 1806–7J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) ii. i, No knife in your pocket nor house within reach. 1833H. Martineau Briery Creek ii. 23 Mrs. Temple had never been very happy while within reach of markets and shops. 1859Dickens T. Two Cities i. v, All the people within reach had suspended their business.
III. That which reaches or stretches.
12. A continuous stretch, course, or extent:
a. of some material thing or space.
1609Bible (Douay) Ezek. xvii. 3 A great eagle with great winges, with a long reach of members. 1638Junius Paint. Ancients 68 Darksome night..dimming the spacious reach of heaven. 1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. Contents, The outmost reach of Body must needs be bounded. 1803Naval Chron. IX. 440 Exposed to the whole reach of the Western Ocean. 1866Blackmore Cradock Nowell x, The glades and reaches of gentle park and meadow.
b. of time.
1814L. Hunt Feast of Poets 49 His look with the reach of past ages was wise. 1869Phillips Vesuv. xii. 323 Some mountains are now constantly active, and have been so in all the reach of history.
c. of immaterial things. (Cf. 8 b.)
1838–9Hallam Hist. Lit. II. iii. ii. §66. 452 A prodigious reach of learning distinguishes the theologians of these fifty years. 1869Goulburn Purs. Holiness iv. 31 A reach of love, and wisdom, and power to which it is impossible to set bounds. 1955Times 9 May 3/3 The action therefore slows almost to a standstill in the middle reaches of the play. 1971J. B. Carroll et al. Word Frequency Bk. p. xxxvi, Hapax legomena..come from almost anywhere in the lower reaches of the theoretical type distribution.
d. The space over which something extends or is distributed.
1850H. Miller Footpr. Creat. i. (1874) 9 The marine and fresh-water animals having each their own reaches.
13. spec.
a. That portion of a river, channel, or lake which lies between two bends; as much as can be seen in one view. Also the portion of a canal between two locks, having a uniform level.
1536in R. G. Marsden Sel. Pl. Crt. Adm. (1894) I. 58 The same catche beyng under sayle in the reche over agaynste Lymehowse callyd Limehowse Reche. 1562T. Phaer æneid viii. X. iv, They pluckyng swift their Ores, that..tyre their lims, And reatches long they win. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. 33 Rasing as it goes the high bankes with their curving reaches. 1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 95 The king..examined every reach and turning of the river. 1792A. Young Trav. France 99 The river presents one reach, crossed by the bridge, and then dividing into two fine channels. 1880Haughton Phys. Geog. v. 242 Occasionally threading some narrow channel, to enter again some magnificent reach.
†b. A bay. Obs.
1526Tindale Acts xxvii. 39 They spied a certayne reache [Gr. κόλπος] with a banke. 1601Holland Pliny v. xxix. I. 108 All the coast thereof is very full of creekes and reaches. 1650Fuller Pisgah v. vii. 156 The opposite shoar, on the same side of the Sea, but..over a reach, or bay. 1736Ainsworth Eng.-Lat. Dict., A reach at sea, duorum promontoriorum intervallum.
c. A headland or promontory. Obs. exc. U.S. (local).
1562T. Phaer æneid i. A iij, On either side the reaches hie..And vnder them the still sea lyeth. 1626Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Seamen 17 A headland, a furland, a reatch, a land marke. 1627E. F. Life Edw. II in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793) 45 Twice had they gained St. Vincent's rock, but, from that reach, were hurried back, with sudden gusts and tempests. 1897in Cent. Dict.
14. A bearing-shaft or coupling-pole.
1868Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 478 The Reach, or bearing-shaft [of a bicycle] is the most important portion. 1875Knight Dict. Mech. 1887/1 A reach for a certain description of city wagon is shown in Fig. 4190.
15. = rache n.2
1897M. H. Hayes Points of Horse xx. (ed. 2) 222 If it runs down the nose in the form of a line of no great width, it is known as a ‘reach’ or ‘stripe’.
IV.
16. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 13 a) reach land; reach rod, a connecting rod for transmitting manual motion to a remote part of a mechanism.
1795T. Chapman Jrnl. 4 Nov. in Hist. Mag. Amer. (1869) V. 359 They appear contented and Happy, having Plenty of fine reach Land. 1909Cent Dict. Suppl., Reach-rod, in a locomotive, a rod which connects the reverse-lever in the cab to the bell-crank on the reverse-shaft of the valve-gear. 1972L. M. Harris Introd. Deepwater Floating Drilling Operations 238 Some compartments will have reach rods to bilge drainage valves.
17. Used attrib. to designate a fork-lift truck whose fork can be moved forward and backward as well as up and down.
1962Engineering 2 Nov. 584/1 Until the reach truck appeared, the provision of two hydraulic functions in a fork truck was considered difficult. 1963Times Rev. Industry May 91/3 Reach types—The fork carriage is movable in a horizontal plane, with forks reaching beyond the front wheels to withdraw the load to a position within the wheelbase.
Add:[II.] [11.] b. Broadcasting. The number of people who listen to or watch a programme or channel at any time during a specified period.
1951E. F. Seehafer Successful Television & Radio Advertising (ed. 2) iv. 104 Reach, or cumulative audience, may be defined as the number of different homes tuned to a specific program over a given period of time. 1961Sponsor (N.Y.) 11 Sept. ii. 117/1 On two similar schedules, Station ‘A’ has the greater reach. 1974C. Weinberg et al. Advertising Managem. iv. 115 Reach is the number of people who see the advertising campaign at least once. 1975Independent Broadcasting Aug. 19/2 The cumulative weekly audience figures, now usually called the ‘weekly reach’, represents all those people who listened to a station at some time during a measured week. 1984Listener 26 Jan. 25/2 The channel's ‘reach’ figure, for the proportion of the total population watching it at any point of the week, was 51.2 per cent. 1989Sunday Tel. 24 Sept. 45/3 Audience reach grew steadily, with three-quarters of us tuning in [to Channel Four] sometime during a given week.
▪ II. † reach, n.2 Obs. rare.
[f. reach v.2]
An act of clearing the throat, or of retching.
1575Laneham Let. (1871) 41 [He] cleered his vois with a hem and a reach, and spat oout withal. 1736Ainsworth Eng.-Lat. Dict., A reach, or reaching to vomit, vomendi nisus.
▪ III. reach, v.1|riːtʃ|
Forms: α. inf. 1 rǽcan, 3 ræchen, 2, 4 rechen, (5 -yn); 4–5 reche, (5 ric(c)he, 6 rech), 4–5 reiche, (5 reyche, 6 Sc. reich), 6 reache, (7 reatch), 6– reach. pa. tense (a) 1 rǽhte, 3 rehte, 4 reiȝte, reighte; 1, 3 ráhte, 4 raȝte, 4–5 raghte; 4 rauhte, rauȝte, -tte, 5 rawȝte, 4–6 raughte, (6 roughte); (and pa. pple.) 4 raht, 4–5 raȝt, 4–6 raght, (4–5 ragh, 5 Sc. racht); 4–5 rauht, (4 rahut, 5 rauth), rauȝt, (4 rauȝht, 5 rawȝt), 5–9 raught, (5 rawght, rought, 6 erron. wrought), Sc. raucht, (6 rawcht); also pa. pple. 4 i-rawt. (b) 4–6 reched, (4 recched, 5 rechid, reychid), 6–7 reach'd, 7 reachd, reacht, 6– reached. β. 4, Sc. 5–6 reke, (4 reque, 5 Sc. rek), 5–6 (9) Sc. reik, (6 reyk), 8 Sc. reek, ryke, (9 rike). pa. tense 4 reked, 6 Sc. reikit.
[OE. rǽcan (also ᵹerǽcan) = OFris. reka, rets(i)a, resza, MDu. (Du.) reiken, MLG. reiken, reken, OHG. (G.) reichen:—OTeut. *raikjan of uncertain relationship.
The various parts of the verb exhibit considerable variety of form at different periods. In ME. the normal vowel ē of the infin. and pres. is sometimes replaced by ă, ĕ, or ĭ. The latter is unusual; the other two (see ratch v.1 and retch v.1) have probably been developed by back-formation from the pa. tense raught, on the analogies of catch, caught and stretch, straught. Mod. dial. forms differing from the standard reach are rei(t)ch, rey(t)ch (Yks.), raich, reighch (Lanc.), rache, raych (Devon), etc., in addition to the northern forms with final -k (as in streek beside stretch), which are recorded from c 1400 and survive as reek, ryke (Sc.), reak, raik (Yks.), reik, reyk (Lanc.), etc.
The normal West Saxon form of the pa. tense was rǽhte, giving ME. rehte, reihte (rare). From the typically northern OE. ráhte came the usual ME. raught(e, which continued in general use down to c 1600, and was frequently employed for half a century later, but is now only archaic, or dialectal in the forms raucht (Sc.), rought (Lanc., Chesh., Staff.) and raught (West Midl.). The new preterite form reached (cf. northern reekit) appears about 1400, but is comparatively rare before 1600. For other modern dial. variants of the pa. tense and pa. pple. (mostly due to analogy) see the Eng. Dial Dict.
In addition to rǽcan, OE. had also the form ᵹerǽcan, the use of which is naturally prominent in those senses in which stress is laid on the full completion of the action (see sense 4). In some senses (as 4 b, 4 c, and 5) the verb occurs chiefly or exclusively in the preterite form raught, which in later use was perhaps not clearly associated with reach in its other applications.]
I. Transitive senses.
1. a. To stretch out, extend, hold out or forth (one's hand, arm, etc.).
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxxvi. 246 Ic ræhte mine hond to eow. a900Cynewulf Christ 1620 In þæt hate fyr..þær hy leomu ræcað..to bærnenne. c1000ælfric Gen. xxxviii. 28 Se oðer ræhte forð his hand. a1300Cursor M. 19791 To saint petere sco raght hir hand. c1400tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 83 Drynke he a syrupe of roses..and after, reche out his armes a lityll. 1481Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 54 He raught out his right foot and dubbed me in the necke. 1565Jewel Def. Apol. (1611) 375 Iulius Cæsar raught out his foot for Pompeius Pœnus to kisse. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 19 Some of us would have reach'd their arms over the Table, to take the Goblet. 1755Ramsay To Jas. Clerk 48 [He] will at naithing stap or stand, That reeks him out a helping hand. 1850Tennyson In Mem. lxxx, Unused example from the grave [shall] Reach out dead hands to comfort me.
b. Of a tree: To extend (its branches).
1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, v. v. 54 He shall flourish, And like a Mountaine Cedar, reach his branches, To all the Plaines about him. 1667Milton P.L. v. 213 Where any row Of Fruit-trees..reachd too far Thir pamperd boughes.
c. To thrust (a weapon) forth or up by stretching out the arm.
1596Spenser F.Q. iv. iii. 33 At that instant reaching forth his sweard..He smote him. 1819W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 93 He raucht his halbert up, and brack An image that stood starin' out.
†d. To launch, direct, aim. Obs.—1
1591Spenser M. Hubberd 840 He would his impudent lewde speache Against Gods holie Ministers oft reach.
2. a. To hold out (a thing) and give (it) to a person; to hand to one. Also const. with dat., and occas. with simple object.
αa1000Boeth. Metr. xxix. 62 Hærfest to honda herbuendum ripa [bleda] receð. c1000Ags. Gosp. John xiii. 26 He ys se ðe ic ræce [Hatton MS. ræche] bedyppedne hlaf. a1300Cursor M. 3649 (Cott.) Quen it [mete] es dight þou it him reche [Fairf. salle þou hit reiche]. c1369Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 47, I..bade one reche me a booke. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 35 His stappemoder rechid to hym a pece that he myȝhte drynke. 1535Coverdale Ruth iii. 15 Reach me the cloke yt thou hast on the, & holde it forth. 1581in Confer. ii. (1584) M iij, The Greke testament being reached vnto him, he refused to reade it. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, iv. ii. 4 Reach a Chaire, So now (me thinkes) I feele a little ease. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. i. i. §5 It pleased God with a strong hand and stretched-out Arme, to reach the Gospel unto them. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) II. 59 Taking out your picture.., I reached it to her. 1827Blackw. Mag. Sept. 339/2, I reached him the letter.
absol.a1300Cursor M. 790 (Cott.) Quen sco þis frutte biheild, Sco..tok and ette and raght adam.
β1513Douglas æneis v. vii. 42 Reik to the man the price promist. 1567Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 230 With that he rais and reikit me this bill. 1862A. Hislop Prov. Scot. 129 [She] cried ‘Reik me this, reik me that’.
b. With advbs., as back, down, forth, out, round, up. † Also to reach up, to surrender.
a1400–50Alexander 758 Oþire recouyre me þi rewme, or reche vp þe girdill. Ibid. 817 Þis renke & his rounsy þai reche vp a croune. 1508Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 148 Thai..raucht the cop round about full off riche wynis. 1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Luke xxiv. 198 [He] brake it, and then raught it forth to theim. 1631Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 517, I caused some of the Nailes to be reached vp to me. 1642Rogers Naaman 172 Beg of the Lord to reach you out the Lord Jesus. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 5 The burdened trees reached forth fruits of irresistible temptation. 1865Kingsley Herew. iv, The beaker I reach back More rich than I took it.
†c. With immaterial object: To give, yield, render; to grant, bestow, communicate, etc. Obs.
c961æthelwold Rule St. Benet (Schröer 1885) 139 Þara anra, þe for neode him þenunge æt þæs mynstres ingange ræcan scylon. a1300Cursor M. 5308, I sal þe to þe kinge beteche, And siþen þe mi blissing reche. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 1369 Vche duk..Schulde com to his court..to reche hym reuerens. c1470Henryson Mor. Fab. iv. (Fox's Confess.) xvi, Heir I reik the [= thee] full remissioun. 1659Hammond On Ps. cxv. 1 Unworthy of the least of all thy goodness, abundantly reached out unto us. a1718Rowe (J.), Through such hands The knowledge of the gods is reach'd to man.
3. a. To deal or strike (a blow); † to give (a wound). Const. to, at, or dat. Now rare.
1375Barbour Bruce ii. 420 To philip sic rout he raucht,..He gert him galay disyly. c1400Sowdone Bab. 1347 He raught a stroke to Ferumbras. c1470Golagros & Gaw. 630 Schir Rannald raught to the renk ane rout wes vnryde. a1553Udall Royster D. iv. iv. (Arb.) 66, I wish my distaffe will reache hym one rappe. 1577–87Holinshed Chron. II. 57/2 Gegathus raught Haco such a wound, that the vpper part of his liuer appeared bare. 1666Sancroft Lex Ignea 24 God hath reacht us now an Universal Stroke. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) II. 19 A sudden punch which he reached at the nose of his lordship. 1847Chalmers Romans xxx. II. 82 Faith..reaches that exterminating blow whereby the body of sin is destroyed.
†b. To give (a kiss). Obs. rare—1.
13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2351 Þou kyssedes my clere wyf, þe cossez me raȝtez.
4. a. To succeed in touching or grasping with the outstretched hand (or with something held in it), or by any similar exertion.
971Blickl. Hom. 207 Se hrof..wæs þæt man mid his handa nealice ᵹeræcean mihte. a1000Satan 169 Eala..þæt ic mid handum ne mæᵹ heofon ᵹeræcan. a1300Cursor M. 24464 Me-thoght moght i..wit mi hand him ans reche..I suld ha ben all hale. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 353 Who tauȝte hem on trees to tymbre so heighe, There noither buirn ne beste may her briddes rechen. 1530Palsgr. 680/2, I reche a thyng with my hande... I can nat reache it, myne arme is to shorte. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 156 Wilt thou reach stars, because they shine on thee? a1704Locke (J.), Having let down his sounding-line, he reaches no bottom. 1747Gray Cat 22 She stretch'd in vain to reach the prize. 1858Kingsley Poems 113 If I could but reach that hand.
†b. To obtain by seizure or otherwise; to procure, gain, acquire, get possession of. Obs.
a900O.E. Chron. an. 885 Þa metton hie xvi scipu wicenga & wiþ þa ᵹefuhton, & þa scipo alle ᵹeræhton, & þa men ofsloᵹon. a1000Ibid. an. 918 Hie ne meahton nanne mete ᵹeræcan. 11..Ibid. (MS. C.) an. 1066 Hi ne micte þa brigge oferstiᵹan, ne siᵹe ᵹerechen. a1250Owl & Night. 106 Tho hit bi-com that he haȝte, And of his eyre briddes y-raȝte. a1300Cursor M. 1912 Þe beist[es] thoght selcutli god Þat þai hade raght þair kindle fode. c1394P. Pl. Crede 733 After..his rychesse is rauȝt he schal ben redy serued. a1541Wyatt Poet. Wks. (1861) 67 With hapless hand no man hath raught Such hap as I. 1603Drayton Bar. Wars ii. xlv, Then had yee raught Fames richest Diadem. 1612― Poly-olb. ix. 290 All his diuelish wit, By which he raught the Wreath.
†c. To seize in the hand; to take or lay hold of; to carry off. Obs.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 229 A trestille Edward rauht, þat heuy was of pais. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xxi. (Clement) 453 He..hyre in armys racht & hyre embrasit. a1400–50Alexander 5284 Scho..raȝt him by þe riȝt hand & raikis to a chambre. c1470Harding Chron. cv. vi, Great people yt daye the death hath raught. a1547Surrey æneid ii. 272 Then raught they hym..twise winding him about. 1591R. Wilmot Tancred & Gismunda iii. iii, She raught the cane, And with her owne sweet hand she gaue it me. 1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. ix. 30 The hand of death hath raught him. a1626Middleton Mayor of Queenborough iv. ii. 155, I was surprised by villains, and so raught.
absol.1667Milton P.L. xi. 94 Least..his now bolder hand Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat.
transf.1587Mirr. Mag., Porrex vii, Can I complayne of this reuenge she raught? 1642Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. xix. 338 Princes are not to reach, but to trample on recreations.
†d. To receive, catch, suffer. Obs.
c1400Song Roland 756 Of the hethyn hound no harm he reches. c1410Sir Cleges 193 As he knelyd on hys knee,..He rawght a bowe on hys hede. c1450Mirour Saluacioun 3554 Of the Jewes cruwelle mykel persecucionne he raght.
†e. To fetch, heave (a sigh). Obs. rare—1.
1582Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb) 33 Groane sighs deepe reaching with tears his lyers ful he blubbred.
5. Const. with preps. and advbs.
a. To take or snatch from a person or thing; to take away, hence, out, up. Now only arch.
a1400–50Alexander 799* Þou must rewle all my realm qwen I am raght hyne. 14..Sir Beues (MS. M) 837 Thes knyghtes, that Beues raught fro Bradmond. 1481Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 22 Tybert..raught out his ryght colyon. 1563Mirr. Mag. ii. Rich. III, xx, [The king] of kyngdome I bereft, His life also from him I raught away. 1587Turberv. Trag. T., First History, He raught a truncheon from a pine by chaunce. 1593Nashe Christ's T. (1613) 179 Many in their prime and best yeares are raught hence. 1634Jackson Creed viii. xix. §12 Those bodies, which being alive shall be raught up into the air. 1718Ramsay Christ's Kirk Gr. iii. xviii, They frae a barn a kabar raught. 1863W. Lancaster Praeterita 51 Old confusions, which..Raught from my helm the garland of its praise.
b. To draw or bring towards oneself (esp. to take down) from a certain place or position; to lift up, take († or pull) down, etc.
c1450Merlin 697 The damesell..raught hym vp be the honde. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 61 b/1 He..ran and raught doun the Calf that they had made. 1545R. Ascham Toxoph. i. (Arb.) 66 Ill fortune me that daye befell, Whan first my bowe fro the pynne I roughte. 1647Crashaw Steps to Temple 67 Men of martyrdom, that could reach down With strong arms their triumphant crown. 1649R. Hodges Plain. Direct. 17 He raught it from the shelf, when I wrought it with him. 1746Collins Ode to Fear 33 [The Bard] reach'd from Virtue's hand the patriot's steel. 1830Marryat King's Own xxiii, [He] reached down his hat. 1868Holme Lee B. Godfrey viii. 43 She reached from the..shelf her..cup of ink.
†c. To take in, to, or unto, oneself. Obs.
1588Kyd Househ. Phil. Wks. (1901) 253 First wold I that the parched earth did riue and raught me in. 1591Spenser M. Hubberd 441 That same [rod] hath Iesus Christ now to him raught. 1660H. Bloome Archit. C b, Calimachus..reached unto himselfe the Basket.
6. a. To succeed in touching with a weapon or with the hand in delivering a blow († hence, to strike or smite).
Beowulf 556 Ic aᵹlæcan orde ᵹeræhte. 13..Guy Warw. (A.) 1477 Gii þat on wiþ his swerd rauȝt. c1350Will. Palerne 1193 What rink so he rauȝt he ros neuer after. c1400Sowdone Bab. 2923 Richard raught him with a barr of bras. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon ii. 63 He..rought hym wyth soo grete a myghte, that sterke deed he ouerthrew hym. 1609Heywood Brit. Troy xii. cvi, The inuincible Dardanian with one stroke, Raught Aiax Beauer and unplumed his hed. 1809Roland Fencing 126 If you can conveniently reach your adversary upon the longe.
b. To succeed in affecting or influencing by some means; to impress, convince, win over, etc.
1667Milton P.L. iv. 801 Assaying by his Devilish art to reach The Organs of her Fancie. a1713T. Ellwood Autobiog. (1714) 45 Being sensible that I was thoroughly reach'd; and the Work of God rightly begun in me. 1851Dixon W. Penn x. (1872) 83 Men's opinions must be reached by reason, not by force. 1887Times (weekly ed.) 14 Oct. 15/3 They [the merchants] know how Chinese are to be reached.
c. U.S. slang. To bribe.
1906A. H. Lewis Confessions of Detective 72 I'd been squared; it was known that I could be reached. 1912A. Train Courts, Criminals & Camorra III. ix. 234 In America, if the criminal can ‘reach’ the complaining witness or ‘call him off’ he has nothing to worry about. 1929C. F. Coe Hooch! v. 105 You could reach the..Attorney without tippin' your hand to him at all. 1967L. Katcher Earl Warren xvi. 124 It is impossible..to open a big, notorious gambling operation without buying off public officials... This does not necessarily mean a sheriff or a District Attorney or a chief of police is being reached. 1968W. Safire New Lang. Politics 373/1 Reached, bought off; corrupted. A public official may be approached with no implication of commitment on his part; when he has been spoken to, the implication is that he is neutralized or partially persuaded pending a final decision; when he is reached, however, he has been bought and sold.
7. a. Of things (or of persons in respect of some part of the body): To come into contact with, to touch; to extend so far as to touch.
a1225Juliana 56 Hu hit grond in hwet so hit rahte. a1300Cursor M. 24390 It raght mi hert al thoru þe rote. c1384Chaucer H. Fame iii. 284 With hir feet she therthe reighte, And with hir heed she touched hevene. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 144 Þe paume haþ power to..receuen þat þe fyngres rechen. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 1029 A Bridge of wondrous length..reaching th' utmost Orbe Of this frail World. Ibid. iv. 988 His stature reacht the Skie. 1704Pope Windsor F. 193 Now his shadow reach'd her as she run, His shadow lengthen'd by the setting sun.
b. Of immaterial things, in various applications derived from 7 a and 8, esp. to succeed in affecting or influencing.
c1400Song Roland 190 To help the, þat no harm þe reche. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon x. 267 The stroke slided a syde & kyt a sondre all That it rought. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, ii. ii. 89 Who can be angry now? What Enuy reach you? a1625Beaum. & Fl. Bonduca iv. iii, There is no mercy in mankind can reach me. 1675H. More in R. Ward Life (1710) 347 Nor does that [conclusion] reach the present Controversie. 1712Addison Spect. No. 287 ⁋3 Liberty should reach every Individual of a People. 1761Gray Odin 48 Pain can reach the Sons of Heav'n! 1786Burns Twa Dogs 213 There's sic parade, sic pomp, an' art, The joy can scarcely reach the heart. 1844Ld. Brougham Brit. Const. xvii. (1861) 259 Libels..which the ordinary process of the law reached, and would have been quite sufficient to punish.
8. a. To come to, arrive at (a place, object, or point in space), to get up to or as far as.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 1320 Two dayes þey sailled..lond ne hauene reche þey ne myght. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 10 Reken with reverence þay rechen his auter. 1563B. Googe Eglogs, etc. (Arb.) 109 Now was the Son got vp aloft, and raught the mydle Lyne. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xxv. vi. 273 Sooner than a man would have thought [they] raught the banke on the further side. 1684R. Waller Nat. Exper. 110 The point not onely again reacht the Line, but passed beyond it. 1709Steele Tatler No. 107 ⁋2 You may easily reach Harwich in a Day. 1808Scott Marm. i. xi, The steps of stone, By which you reach the donjon gate. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. xiv. 96 Brought him to rest before he had reached the bottom.
b. With personal object, in various applications. Now esp., to communicate with (a person).
1706E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 22 Those strong unexpected Turnadoes..sometimes reach him as far as Brasil and Jamaica. 1894Hall Caine Manxman iii. xv. 177 Pete's letter had reached him. 1919E. O'Neill Moon of Caribbees 113 Ut is only from your chance meetin' wid Harry..that I happen to know where to reach you. 1967D. Francis Blood Sport v. 55 The two drivers, reached by telephone, met us by appointment. 1973R. Ludlum Matlock Paper xiii. 122 I'm off the phone now. Would you like to try reaching Miss Ballantyne?
c. Of sounds: To come to (the ear, a person or place).
1649G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. IV, lxxx, Fame had before the escape of Richard told..weh raught her open Ears. 1671Milton Samson 177, I hear the sound of words; thir sense the air Dissolves unjointed e're it reach my ear. 1727Gay Fables i. xxxi. 11 My name, perhaps, hath reach'd your ear. 1784Cowper Task ii. 5 Where rumour of oppression and deceit..Might never reach me more! 1828Scott F.M. Perth xix, The alarm reached the royal residence. 1874J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Par. Churches 10 Every syllable should reach the ears of the auditors.
d. Of the eye, a gun, etc.: To carry to (a point).
1667Milton P.L. xii. 556 Eternitie, whose end no eye can reach. 1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. v. xii. 72 What degree the Gun must be Mounted to, to reach the Mark. 1732Pope Ess. Man i. 240 What no eye can see, No glass can reach.
9. To arrive at, to attain or come to (a point in time, a condition, quality, etc.):
a. of persons.
1590Spenser F.Q. i. vi. 29 Till ryper yeares he raught. 1604Shakes. Oth. i. ii. 24 As proud a Fortune As this that I haue reach'd. 1647–8Sir C. Cotterell Davila's Hist. Fr. (1678) 2, I hope I shall be able to reach the proper order. 1709Pope Ess. Criticism 145 Nameless graces which no methods teach, And which a master-hand alone can reach. 1727Gay Fables i. xxxix. 35 He reach'd the height of power and place. 1789Trifler No. 35. 448 Our poets..frequently reach the climax of absurdity. 1801Strutt Sports & Past. ii. i. 60, I believe few, if any, of the modern archers in long shooting, reach four hundred yards. 1874Green Short Hist. v. §3. 228 Wyclif..had already reached middle age.
b. of things.
1667Milton P.L. iii. 197 Thy desire..leads to no excess That reaches blame. 1691Locke Lower. Interest Wks. 1727 II. 7 But supposing the Law reach'd the Intention of the Promoters of it. 1724A. Collins Gr. Chr. Rel. 215 The means..will not reach that end. 1784Cowper Task i. 696 In the eye Of public note, they reach their perfect size. Ibid. iv. 662 His faculties..there only reach their proper use. 1888Burgon Lives 12 Gd. Men x. II. 262 This little work reached a second edition.
10. a. To succeed in understanding or comprehending. ? Obs.
1605B. Jonson Volpone iv. i, Sir P. I reach you not. Lady P. Right, sir, your policy May bear it through thus. a1627Middleton Wom. beware Wom. v. i, But how her fawning partner fell I reach not. 1662Dryden Wild Gallant iv. i, I do not reach your meaning, Sir. a1715Burnet Hist. Ref. iii. Pref. 3 The Meaning of this dark Expression I do not reach. a1822Shelley Tasso 16 The words are twisted in some double sense That I reach not.
b. To succeed in acquiring or obtaining.
1638Junius Paint. Ancients 303 Zenodorus..could not reach the art of tempering the metalls as it was used by the ancients. c1709Prior Charity 4 Had I all knowledge..That thought can reach, or science can define. 1782Cowper Charity 304 Knowledge such as..only sympathy like thine could reach. 1842J. Aiton Domest. Econ. (1857) 318 Paying a small sum yearly,..according as I could conveniently reach it.
11. To stretch; to draw or pull out † or in; † to extend (one's power). Obs. exc. dial. (Cf. ratch v.1 3, retch v.1)
971Blickl. Hom. 191 Min heafod sceal beon on eorþan ᵹecyrred, & mine fet to heofenum ᵹereahte. c1275Serving Christ 5 in O.E. Misc. 90 Crist..on rode was rauht. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4829 Ȝoure fon ssolle hor poer among ow wide reche. a1375Lay Folks Mass Bk. App. iv. 348 He rauhte þe Rolle..Wiþ his teth. a1400Morte Arth. 2549 Than they raughte in the reyne and a-gayne rydes. c1420Pallad. on Husb. iv. 682 An huge breste, No litel wombe, and wel out raught the side. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 167 Whilest the members are reached and stretched with many strains and convulsions. 1648–60Hexham Dutch Dict., Het leder Recken, to Stretch or Reach out leather. 1823Moor Suffolk Words s.v. Reech, A pair of small shoes require to be reached.
II. Intransitive senses.
12. a. To make a stretch with the arm or hand; to extend the arm, hold out the hand. Also of the arm or hand: To stretch out.
Beowulf (Z.) 748 Ræhte onᵹean feond mid folme. a1225Ancr. R. 338 Hwon God beot þe, recheð forð mid boðe honden. c1305St. Andrew 95 in E.E.P. (1862) 101 Here armes whan hi vpward reiȝte bicome as stif as treo. c1400N. Love Bonavent. Mirr. xxxix. (B.N.C.) lf. 92 The disciples seten..so þat þey alle myȝte reche into þe myddes and ete of one disshe. 1538Starkey England i. ii. 48 The ye to se,..the fote to go, the hand to hold and rech. 1667Milton P.L. ix. 779 What hinders then To reach, and feed at once both Bodie and Mind? 1785Burns Jolly Beggars 5th Air, Let me ryke up to dight that tear.
b. Const. to or unto (a person or thing), usually with implication of catching († or striking) at. Now only dial. (also absol., to help oneself at table).
a1000Satan 437 Efe..ræhte þa mid handum to heofon⁓cyninge. 13..Sir Beues (A.) 2445 Þe lionesse seyȝe þat sight And rauȝt to B[eues], with out faile. c1400Destr. Troy 10882 Ho raght to hym radly, reft hym his sheld. 1586J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 7/1 But these two..raught to their weapons. 1671H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 192 Reach to the Pompions, there's an end of the Lettices. 1674Brevint Saul at Endor 232 This Paiment, however, reacht to, is, they say, presented to God by the Pope. 1847Halliwell, Reach-to, to reach out one's hand, so as to help oneself. 1890Austin Clare For Love of Lass iii, Now do as the missus bids you, and reach to. Your father's son'll be always welcome at my table.
c. Const. after, for (a thing). to reach for the roof, sky, etc. (orig. U.S.), of a person held at gunpoint: to raise the hands above the head; to reach for one's gun, etc., used fig. for: to react with extreme hostility.
The statement in quot. 1953 is commonly attributed to the German Nazi leader H. Goering (1893–1946), but it has been traced (in a slightly different form) to the nationalistic play Schlageter (1933) by the German dramatist H. Johst (1890–1978): see Oxf. Dict. Quotations (ed. 3, 1980).
c1386Chaucer Prol. 136 Whan she dronken hadde hir draughte, fful semely after hir mete she raughte. 1571Campion Hist. Irel. ii. ix. (1633) 118 A Gentleman..raught in the morning for some paper. 1591Spenser M. Hubberd 1336 Rouzing up himselfe, for his rough hide He gan to reach. 1737[S. Berington] G. de Lucca's Mem. (1738) 33, I was..reaching for my Sword to defend myself to the last Gasp. 1904L. Tracy King of Diamonds iii. 39 He reached over for the stone. 1910W. M. Raine B. O'Connor ii. 25 Now reach for the roof. 1927Ladies' Home Jrnl. Dec. 6/3, I reached for the stars pronto, without even turning my head. 1931W. James Sun Up 42 ‘Stick em up,’ I says... One of 'em flinches some but finally reaches for the sky. 1953in Oxf. Dict. Quotations (ed. 2) 223/2 When I hear anyone talk of Culture, I reach for my revolver. 1959Spectator 9 Oct. 480/2 Cherwell was not a cultured man; indeed he seems almost to have reached for his gun when ‘culture’ was in the air. 1967Guardian 12 Oct. 9/6 This is the point at which Laing's critics reach for their guns. 1968R. F. Adams Western Words (ed. 2) 245/2 Reach for the sky!, a gunman's command to raise the hands in the air. 1980Listener 14 Aug. 200/1 Members of PRO Dogs..will..be reaching for their choke-chains because..criticism of..dogs is a treasonable activity.
d. To grasp or clutch at. (lit. and fig.)
1562J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 106 Master Sexten..Gredily raught at a goblet of wyne. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, i. ii. 11 Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious Gold. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. ix. Ded., The Third reached not at all at Honor. 1732Neal Hist. Purit. (1822) I. 66 Stretching the laws to reach at those whom they could not fairly come at an other way. 1818Keats Endym. iii. 372 Wherefore reach At things which, but for thee,..Had been my dreary death?
e. fig. of mental striving.
1646P. Bulkeley Gospel Covt. ii. 131 The soule is of an intelligent nature, reaching after the knowledge of high and hidden things. 1845–6Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. ii. vii. 261 Some of old had been reaching out after this. 1870J. H. Newman Gram. Assent i. v. 109 His mind reaches forward with a strong presentiment to the thought of a Moral Governor. 1935W. G. Hardy Father Abraham iv. i. 349 But Abraham strode along and snuffed the air and was tender to Sarai as he helped her on and felt his whole heart reaching out to her.
f. To make an unwarranted inference; to jump to a conclusion; to guess. orig. and chiefly U.S.
1960‘E. McBain’ Give Boys Great Big Hand x. 106 This may be reaching, but here it is anyway, for what it's worth. 1963‘G. Bagby’ Murder's Little Helper xii. 149 Anderson moaned. ‘Inspector,’ he said, ‘Isn't that reaching?’ 1964L. Treat in H. Waugh Merchants of Menace (1969) 11 The way he saw things, the Lieutenant was sure reaching for it—far out. 1973G. Moffat Lady with Cool Eye xi. 130 Dawson..might very well be visiting Mrs Wolkoff..but no: as the Americans say, we're reaching. 1978R. Ludlum Holcroft Covenant xviii. 212 ‘Aren't you reaching, Miles?’.. ‘I said it was a theory, but not without some support.’
13. a. To make a stretch of a certain length; to succeed in stretching one's arm, etc., so far.
a1300Cursor M. 1840 Na creatur in liue..moght to grund or reche or riue. Ibid. 11673 Þe frut hu sulde man reche vnto. 13..Sir Beues (A) 1623 [Beues] knette þe rop þar while Ase hiȝ ase a miȝte reche. c1402Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. xvi, With myn hede unto the welle I raughte. c1450Merlin 344 He lifte vp his swerde..and he slytte the shelde as fer as that he raught. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop ii. xiii, He cowde not reche to the mete with his mouthe. 1535Coverdale Eccl. vii. 23 She wente..so depe that I might not reach vnto her. 1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 471 By reaching beyond his reach, he reacheth nothing at all. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 289, I am not yet so low, But that my nailes can reach vnto thine eyes. 1667Milton P.L. vi. 140 With solitarie hand Reaching beyond all limit.
absol.1667Milton P.L. ix. 593 All other Beasts..envying stood, but could not reach.
b. transf. and fig. in various applications.
a1300Cursor M. 27332 Als ferre als he may reche, þe forme o scrift til him he teche. 1570–6Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 257 As farre as I can reache by coniecture. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. i. ii. 87 Lu. Melodious were it, would you sing it. Ju. And why not you? Lu. I cannot reach so high. 1611Bible Lev. v. 7 marg., His hand cannot reach to the sufficiencie of a lambe. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 51 This woman hath herein reached beyond your conceit. 1653H. More Antid. Ath. ii. vii. §5, I might now reach out to Exotick Plants.
14. a. To stretch out (continuously), to extend; to project a certain distance (above, beyond, etc.).
αa1000Riddles lxvii. 7 (Gr.) Ic eom mare þonne þes middanᵹeard..wide ræce ofer engla eard. a1000Cædmon's Gen. 990 Ræhton wide ᵹeond werþeoda wrohtes telᵹan. a1300Cursor M. 2232 Do we wel and make a toure,..þat may reche heghur þan heuen. Ibid. 8080 (Gött.) Lang and side þair broues wern And recched al a-boute þair ern. a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 1022 Hir tresses yelowe..Unto hir helys down they raughten. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) iii. 9 Þe schadowe rechez vnto Lempny. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 77 b, Saynt Austyn asketh a questyon: How hye recheth the hous of perfeccyon. 1623Gouge Serm. Extent God's Provid. §15 A partition..which reached up to the floore of the garret. 1687A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 21 The Portico..reaches along the whole front of the Church. 1751C. Labelye Westm. Br. 28 These Frames reached about 2 Feet above the common High-water Mark. 1822Latham Gen. Hist. Birds II. 63 The wings reach very little beyond the base. 1875Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. v. (ed. 5) 72 These vast domains, reaching from the Ebro to the Carpathian mountains.
βc1375Sc. Leg. Saints xviii. (Egipciane) 1320 Þe sone cane fare bemys strek, þat fra þe hewine til erd can rek. 1462Extr. Burgh Rec. Peebles (1872) 144 The sayde..akeris of land..on the northt half of the gat rekand to the Wenlaw. 1513Douglas æneis iii. ix. 12 His berd Rekand doun the lenth neir of a ȝerd. 1824Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. 191 He sought for through-ban's that wad rike.
b. Of immaterial things, in various applications.
a1000Sal. & Sat. 293 Yldo..ræceþ wide langre linan. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 6311 Þe mercy of God..reches over alle, bathe fer and nere. 1443Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 211 Hir contemplacioun rauht up to the hevene. 1535Coverdale Dan. iv. 22 Thy greatnesse increaseth, and reacheth vnto the heauen. a1656Hales Gold. Rem. (1688) 1 How far his intent and meaning reacht. 1718Freethinker No. 2. 10 His Jurisdiction reaches even to the Councils of Princes. 1769Junius Lett. i. 9 It reaches beyond the interest of individuals. 1871Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xviii. 131 The exclusion of Englishmen reached even to men of Norman descent born in England. 1935B. Malinowski in M. Black Importance of Lang. (1962) 90 A word rich in associations and reaching out in many directions.
c. Of a period of time, or with reference to duration of time.
1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 554 Þe tother part..reches fra þe begynnyng Of mans lyfe un-til þe endyng. 1535Coverdale Lev. xxvi. 5 The wyne haruest shal reache vnto the sowynge tyme. 1622Callis Stat. Sewers (1647) 110 These things..do reach from the beginning of the Lease to the top of the Inheritance. 1711Addison Spect. No. 159 ⁋4 That Portion of Eternity which is called Time,..reaching from the Beginning of the World to its Consummation. 1951M. McLuhan Mech. Bride (1967) 132/2 Some interesting assumptions that reach back more than two centuries.
d. To suffice, be adequate or sufficient to (also with inf.). Chiefly of money. ? Obs.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 230 His rentes ne wol nauȝte reche, no riche metes to bugge. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 168 He aw till allow thai gudis as payment of his costis..in alsferr as thai mycht reke. 1642Rogers Naaman 159 Abilities will not reach to suffer for God, though they seeme to act for him. a1657Bradford Plymouth Plant. (1856) 215 Every one was to pay..what y⊇ profite of y⊇ trade would not reach too. 1733Tull Horse-Hoeing Husb. xi. (Dubl.) 142 As much of the middle sort of Wheat as his Money would reach to purchase.
e. To amount to.
1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iv. i. 129 Hotsp. What may the Kings whole Battaile reach vnto? Ver. To thirty thousand. 1887Stubbs Mediæv. & Mod. Hist. 360 Another sum of the same amount, reaching..to {pstlg}120,000.
15.
†a. To move, proceed, go, spread. Obs.
Some examples would also admit of being taken in sense 16, the history of which is somewhat obscure, in the absence of quotations for the 15th and 16th centuries.
a1000Riddles xvi. 27 (Gr.) Siþþan ic þurh hylles hrof ᵹeræce. c1205Lay. 16265 Bruttes weoren balde & rehten ouer walde. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 5003 Tydynges ronne, þat ouer al reches;..þat Romayns were aryue on land. c1374Chaucer Troylus ii. 447 Up he stert & on his way he raught. a1400–50Alexander 3852 Þus raȝt he fra þis reuir be many ruȝe waies.
†b. To go on, or proceed to (a place or point); to run into; to penetrate to. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 15788 (Cott.) Ilk dint þat þai him gaf it reked to þe ban. c1400Beryn 168 To othir placis of holynes þey rauȝte. a1400–50Alexander 5510 [Alexander] Raȝt on to þe reede See & rerid þare his tentis. c1425Wyntoun Cron. i. x. 554 Fra north on sowth the streme it strekys In tyll the Rede Se quhille it rekys.
c. Naut. To sail on a reach; (see also quot. 1867).
1832Marryat N. Forster v, The sloop wearing round, reached in for the land. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Reaching, sometimes used for standing off and on... A vessel also reaches ahead of her adversary. 1884Hunt's Yachting Mag. Apr. 150 A rattling breeze..got up..and she reached along like a schooner.
16. a. To attain or succeed in coming to a place, point, person, etc.; † to come up (to). Also absol. spec. in Baseball: to reach first base.
1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 21 Posting on with such diligence that by darke night hee reached to Caleri. 1651Cromwell Let. 4 Aug. in Carlyle, To give the enemy some check, until we shall be able to reach up to him. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. xviii. (1840) 318 They could not reach back to the boat before it was dark. 1749Fielding Tom Jones iii. vii, The public voice..seldom reaches to a brother or a husband, tho' it rings in the ears of all the neighbourhood. 1802H. Martin Helen of Glenross III. 19 When we had reached to this stage of our proposed journey. 1891Young Man Apr. 128/1, I sent letter upon letter after him, but they don't seem to reach. 1974Anderson (S. Carolina) Independent 20 Apr. 6a/6 The Cavs tied it in their half of the inning as Duval White reached on an error, stole second, went to third on Dan Berstein's first of four hits and scored on Jonathan Williams' fly ball. 1976Billings (Montana) Gaz. 6 July 1-c/3 Dan Fuchs reached on an error, Rich Popp singled to score Knudtson, and Mike Klunder brought Fuchs home on a sacrifice fly.
b. With other constructions. Also with specification of distance covered in attaining to a point.
1591R. Wilmot Tancred & Gismunda i. ii, He neuer sought, with vast huge mounting towers To reach aloft, and ouer-view our raigne. 1622Drayton Poly-olb. xxii. 1222 Hastings that before raught hither with his rear, And with King Edward join'd. 1627Sir R. Granville in Ld. Lansdowne's Wks. (1732) II. 336 We had not raught a musket-shot out of the Town. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) IV. 138 At length, reaching near the door. 1799E. Du Bois Piece Family Biog. III. 55 Continually receding until they have both reached as far as they can go.
c. Of the eye, a gun, etc.: To carry.
1632Holland Cyrupædia 166 They gave backe from thence foot by foot..so farre as a dart shot raught from the wall. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 40 The Power of the English, who command as far as their Guns reach. 1885G. Allen Babylon i, As far as the eye could reach in either direction.
17. a. To attain to an achievement, condition, etc. Now rare or Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 20026 A thusand year moght i noght reke..Til tend part of hir louing. 1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 1930 Alle þe penaunce þat þou mayst do Ne may nat reche here godenes to. c1330― Chron. (1810) 195 In armes is þer none þat to þie renoun reches. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, i. i. 159 Another secret close intent, By marrying her, which I must reach vnto. 1603Owen Pembrokeshire vii. (1891) 55 Great aboundance of Wheat, barlie and other graine, not rechinge in finenes to Castlemartyn. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts O.T. 373 By no humane meanes which thou canst reach unto.
b. Const. with inf. Now rare.
a1300Cursor M. 11385 Elles moght not kinges thre Haf raght to ride sa ferr ewai. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 217 And he may not reche for to greue oþere, þan he bycomeþ angry and cruel to hym self. 1871Farrar Witn. Hist. iv. 142 They could only reach to lay their garlands of admiration at his feet.
†c. To attain to (knowledge of). Obs.
1582N. T. (Rhem.) Mark vi. 3 note, His countrie-folks..not reaching to his godhead and divine generation did take offence or scandal of him. 1594Hooker Eccl. Pol. iii. viii. §6 Festus..heard him, but could not reach unto that whereof he spake. 1653H. More Antid. Ath. ii. v. §5 To conclude there is no such thing as Reason and Demonstration because a natural Fool cannot reach unto it.
18. To undergo stretching. rare. Now only dial.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 148 Bi him that rauhte on the roode. c1440Promp. Parv. 425/1 Rechyn, as lethyr, dilato, extendo. 1570Levins Manip. 88/32 To Reche, distendi. 1823Moor Suffolk Words, s.v. Reech, If your hat be too small it will ‘reech i' the wearing’.
†19. To start up. Obs.—1
a1450Le Morte Arth. 3191 Hys chambyrlayns wakyd hym ther wt all, And woodely oute of hys slepe he raught.
Add:[I.] [8.] [b.] For def. read: With personal object, in various applications. Now esp., of a communication: to come to, be received by; of a person: to communicate with (a person, an audience, or the public). (Further examples.)
1938C. Connolly Enemies of Promise i. i. 17 A writer has no greater pleasure than to reach people, nobody enjoys isolation less than an artist. 1959Broadcasting 5 Oct. 35/1 The report presents a profile on how many people are reached. 1959J. W. Krutch Human Nature & Human Condition vii. 133 Educators and publicists must study ‘mass communication’ so they can reach the common man. 1966H. Moore On Sculpture 218 Certainly the shelter drawings did seem to get through to a much larger public than I'd ever reached before. 1988L. Gordon Eliot's New Life ii. 63 Eliot wanted to reach a popular audience, but looked down on it.
▪ IV. reach, v.2 Now only dial. (cf. retch v.2).|riːtʃ|
Also 5 areche, 6–7 reche.
[OE. hrǽcan, = ON. hrǽkja to spit, f. OE. hráca, ON. hráki spittle, expectorated matter.
The apparent absence of the word in literature from the OE. period to the 15th c. is remarkable, but there can be no doubt of its continuity.]
†1.
a. intr. To spit; also, to make an effort to clear the throat, to hawk. Obs.
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. v. 43 Ᵹif he ðonne ðæt wif wille forsacan, ðonne hræce hio him on ðæt neb foran. c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 148 Wið ᵹeposu & wið þæt man hefelice hræce, ᵹenim ðas wyrte [etc.]. [c1460J. Russell Bk. Nurture 290 Areche, ne spitt to ferre, ner be ye slow of herynge.] 1545T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde 58 Crieng or reching so loude as she can, so to stere her selfe. 1565Cooper Thesaurus, Screo, to reache in spittyng.
†b. trans. To spit or bring up (blood or phlegm). Obs.
c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 142 Ᵹyf hwa blod swiþe hræce, ᵹenime ðysse ylcan wyrte [etc.]. c1550Lloyd Treas. Health (1585) L ij, Gume of a Peache tre geuen to hym that rechit or spitteth bloud, helpeth greatly. 1601Holland Pliny II. 59 For them that raught vp bloud at the mouth, he prescribeth to take Mints in a broth. 1606― Sueton. 189 Hee never durst once spit and reach up fleame.
2. intr. To make efforts to vomit; to retch.
In 18th c. freq. to reach to vomit (cf. reaching vbl. n.2).
1575Gascoigne Hearbes Wks. 165, I poore soule which close in caban laye, And there had reacht til gaule was welneare burst. 1636R. Brathwait Rom. Emp. 47 As hee was reaching or striving to vomit. 1748Richardson Clarissa (1811) IV. xliii. 285, I shall reach confoundedly, and bring up some clotted blood. a1776R. James Diss. Fevers (1778) 51 She..reached to vomit very much. |