Reach \Reach\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reached(Raught, the old preterit, is obsolete); p. pr. & vb. n. Reaching.]

[OE. rechen, AS. r[=ae]can, r[=ae]cean, to extend, stretch out; akin to D. reiken, G. reichen, and possibly to AS. r[=i]ce powerful, rich, E. rich. [root]115.]

1. To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like.

Her tresses yellow, and long straughten, Unto her heeles down they raughten. --Rom. of R.

Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side. --John xx. 27.

Fruit trees, over woody, reached too far Their pampered boughs. --Milton.

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.

He reached me a full cap. --2 Esd. xiv. 39.

3. To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; too 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.

O patron power, . . . thy present aid afford, Than I may reach the beast. --Dryden.

4. To strike, hit, or tough with a missile; as, to reach an object with an arrow, a bullet, or a shell.

5. Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as.

If these examples of grown men reach not the case of children, let them examine. --Locke.

6. To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent; as, his hand reaches the river.

Thy desire . . . leads to no excess That reaches blame. --Milton.

7. To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to.

The best account of the appearances of nature which human penetration can reach, comes short of its reality. --Cheyne.

9. To understand; to comprehend. [Obs.]

Do what, sir? I reach you not. --Beau. & Fl.

10. To overreach; to deceive. [Obs.]

--South.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)