The upper, middle, or lower reaches of a river are parts of a river. The upper reaches are nearer to the river's source and the lower reaches are nearer to the sea into which it flows.
This year water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the river are unusuallyhigh. [+ of]
2. plural noun
You can refer to the distant or outer parts of a place or area as the far, farthest, or outer reaches.
[formal]
...the outer reaches of the solar system. [+ of]
...the farthest reaches of Cambodia.
3. plural noun
You can refer to the higher or lower levels of an organization as its upper or lower reaches.
[formal]
...the upper reaches of the legal profession. [+ of]
...the lower reaches of the accounting world.
reaches in British English
(ˈriːtʃɪz)
plural noun
1.
parts or sections
the upper reaches of the Amazon
This year water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze are unusuallyhigh.
2.
parts or areas
the outer reaches of the solar system
Communications with the outer reaches of the empire were slow.
the farthest reaches of Cambodia
3.
levels
the lower reaches of the organization
the higher reaches of the legal profession
the elites who dominated the higher reaches of the administration
Examples of 'reaches' in a sentence
reaches
I'm in San Francisco, and he's in Kentucky, but one way or another he reaches out and reminds me.
Lawson, Jonell ROSES ARE FOR THE RICH (2001)
One could look up through the narrow linn and see the water the whole length from the upper reaches of the river.
Lyall, Francis A DEATH IN TIME (2001)
She liked dogs, though there were none in the higher reaches of the Glacier.
Garth Nix LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)
In other languages
reaches
British English: reaches NOUN
river The upper, middle, or lower reaches of a river are parts of a river. The upper reaches are nearer to the river's source and the lower reaches are nearer to the sea into which it flows.
This year water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the river are unusually high.
American English: reaches
Brazilian Portuguese: partes do rio
Chinese: 上、中、下游河流
European Spanish: cuencas
French: niveau
German: Strecke
Italian: tratto
Japanese: 川の上流・中流・下流を表すときに用いる
Korean: 유역
European Portuguese: parte do rio
Latin American Spanish: cuencas
British English: reaches NOUN
place You can refer to the distant or outer parts of a place or area as the far, farthest, or outer reaches.