† areachv.
Obsolete.
1. transitive. To reach, get at; esp. to get at with a weapon, to strike.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > movement towards a thing, person, or position > reaching a point or place > reach (a point or place) [verb (transitive)]
areach1014
reachOE
ofreachlOE
overtakec1225
catchc1330
acomec1350
touchc1384
getc1390
to come at ——a1393
henta1393
overreacha1400
win?1473
aspire1581
obtain1589
attainc1592
make1610
gaina1616
acquire1665
advene1684
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > stroke with weapon > strike with a weapon [verb (transitive)]
areach1014
maulc1225
hitc1275
smitec1275
reachc1330
strike1377
to cut over1867
the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > succeed in
areach1014
reacha1400
1014 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) Sloh eall þet man cynn þæt man arǽcan mihte.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 86 Þe halhen makeden of al þe world as a scheomel..to areache þe heouene.
a1330 Sir Otuel 1312 Otuwel, for wraþþe, a non Areiȝte him on þe cheke bon.
1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis II. 140 The flood in such condicion Avaleth, that his drinke arecche He may nought.
c1460 Lybeaus Disc. 1129 For wham Lybeaus arafte, After hys ferste drawghte He slep for evermare.
1477 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Hist. Jason (1913) 40 For whom he arecheth shall neuer after see fayr daye.
1553 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Eneados ii. ix. 42 With grundin lance..Almaist the hede him, twichit and arrekit.
2. figurative. To get into possession of, obtain.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > acquisition > obtain or acquire [verb (transitive)]
wieldeOE
haveeOE
ofgoOE
oweOE
addlec1175
winc1175
avela1200
to come by ——a1225
covera1250
oughtc1275
reachc1275
hentc1300
purchasec1300
to come to ——c1330
getc1330
pickc1330
chevise1340
fang1340
umbracec1350
chacche1362
perceivea1382
accroacha1393
achievea1393
to come at ——a1393
areach1393
recovera1398
encroach?a1400
chevec1400
enquilec1400
obtainc1422
recurec1425
to take upc1425
acquirea1450
encheve1470
sortise1474
conques?a1500
tain1501
report1508
conquest1513
possess1526
compare1532
cough1550
coff1559
fall1568
reap1581
acquist1592
accrue1594
appurchasec1600
recoil1632
to get at ——1666
to come into ——1672
rise1754
net1765
to fall in for1788
to scare up1846
access1953
1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis I. 150 For ofte shall a woman have Thing, whiche a man may nought areche.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. x. sig. X8v Then his Ambitious sonnes vnto them twayne Arraught the rule.
3. transitive. To reach (a thing to a person); to hand, deliver.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > relinquishing > relinquish or give up [verb (transitive)] > hand over to another
i-taechec888
outreacheOE
sellc950
beteacha1000
areachc1000
turnc1175
handsellc1225
betakec1250
deliverc1300
beken1330
yielda1382
disposec1384
resigna1387
livera1400
to turn overa1425
deputea1440
overgive1444
quit?c1450
surrend1450
surrender1466
renderc1480
to give over1483
despose1485
refer1547
to pass over1560
to set over1585
behight1590
tip1610
consign1632
delegate1633
skink1637
to hand over1644
delate1651
to turn off1667
to turn in1822
c1000 Ælfric Gram. xxviii. §5 Arǽce me ða bóc.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 5256 He..wapnen him aræhte [c1300 Otho a-rahte].
a1300 Floriz & Bl. 812 To Daris..Twenti pund he araȝte.
1388 Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) John xiii. 26 To whom Y schal areche a sop of breed.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 435/2 I areche a thing to one touchyng or handlyng of it, Jattayns.
4. intransitive. To reach, stretch, extend (to).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > extend in space [verb (intransitive)]
bredeOE
comeOE
ylasta1175
drawc1180
areachc1225
lastc1275
tillc1290
durea1300
reachc1330
spreada1400
halec1400
reignc1400
splatec1440
extend1481
endure1523
span1535
discoursea1547
wina1578
distend1581
intend1594
sweep1789
outlie1876
c1225 St. Marherete (1866) 12 As þah ha sehe..þe deore rode areachen to þe heouene.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Gen. xlix. 13 Zabulon..arechynge [a1425 L.V. schal stretche] vnto Sidon.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. viii. xvi. 487 Nothing..growiþ but þe sonne beme areche þerto.
1511 Pylgrymage Richarde Guylforde (Pynson) f. xl They do areche ferre in lengthe.
a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) iii. x. 44 And hedis semand to the hevyn areik.
5. Hence in various figurative senses: To reach or attain in thought, imagine; to be sufficient or able.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > faculty of imagination > imagine or visualize [verb (intransitive)]
areachc1220
supposea1393
thinka1400
framea1529
to conceive of1570
humour1605
imagine1631
conceive1658
realize1658
visualize1871
c1220 Ureisun in Cott. Hom. 193 Ne mei non heorte..arechen..Hu muchel god ðu ȝeirkest wið-inne paradise.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 129 Hwase wule bi winnen hire & areache þer to [i.e. to heaven].
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. v. xvii. 199 Þe tonge myȝte nouȝt areche to speke.
1399 Rich. Redeles iv. 12 Ne alle the prophete of þe lond..Myȝte not areche..To paie þe pore peple.
1541 in State Papers Henry VIII (1830) I. 671 As farre as our poure wyttes can arreche.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
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