/ riːtʃ; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
ARRIVE
1.
[ vn ] to arrive at the place that you have been travelling to :
They didn't reach the border until after dark.
I hope this letter reaches you.
2.
[ vn ] to come to sb's attention :
The rumours eventually reached the President.
LEVEL / SPEED / STAGE
3.
[ vn ] to increase to a particular level, speed, etc. over a period of time :
The conflict has now reached a new level of intensity.
Daytime temperatures can reach 40°C.
4.
[ vn ] to arrive at a particular point or stage of sth after a period of time :
He first reached the finals in 2000.
The negotiations have reached deadlock.
ACHIEVE AIM
5.
[ vn ] to achieve a particular aim
SYN arrive at :
to reach a conclusion / decision / verdict / compromise
Politicians again failed to reach an agreement .
—see also far-reaching
WITH HAND / ARM
6.
[+ adv. / prep. ] to stretch your hand towards sth in order to touch it, pick it up, etc. :
[ v ]
She reached inside her bag for a pen.
[ vn ]
He reached out his hand to touch her.
7.
to be able to stretch your hand far enough in order to touch sth, pick sth up, etc. :
[ v ]
'Grab the end of the rope.' 'I can't reach that far!'
[ vn ]
Can you reach the light switch from where you're sitting?
8.
reach sth (down) for sb | reach sb (down) sth to stretch your hand out or up in order to get sth for sb :
[ vn , vnn ]
Can you reach that box down for me?
Can you reach me down that box?
BE LONG ENOUGH
9.
to be big enough, long enough, etc. to arrive at a particular point :
[ v + adv. / prep. ]
The carpet only reached halfway across the room.
[ vn ]
Is the cable long enough to reach the socket?
CONTACT SB
10.
[ vn ] to communicate with sb, especially by telephone :
Do you know where I can reach him?
BE SEEN / HEARD BY SB
11.
[ vn ] to be seen or heard by sb :
Through television and radio we are able to reach a wider audience.
•
IDIOMS
- reach for the stars
—more at ear
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- reach out to sb
■ noun
OF ARMS
1.
[ sing. , U ] the distance over which you can stretch your arms to touch sth; the distance over which a particular object can be used to touch sth else :
As a boxer, his long reach gives him a significant advantage.
The shot was well beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.
Cleaning fluids should be kept out of the reach of children.
He lashed out angrily, hitting anyone within his reach .
Use shears with a long reach for cutting high hedges.
OF POWER / INFLUENCE
2.
[ sing. , U ] the limit to which sb/sth has the power or influence to do sth :
Such matters are beyond the reach of the law.
Victory is now out of her reach .
The basic model is priced well within the reach of most people.
The company has now overtaken IBM in terms of size and reach.
OF RIVER
3.
[ C , usually pl. ] a straight section of water between two bends on a river :
the upper / lower reaches of the Nile (= the part that is furthest from / nearest to the sea)
PLACE FAR FROM CENTRE
4.
reaches [ pl. ] the outer, further, etc. ~ of sth the parts of an area or a place that are a long way from the centre :
the outer reaches of space
( figurative )
an exploration of the deepest reaches of the human mind
SECTIONS OF ORGANIZATION
5.
reaches [ pl. ] the higher, lower, etc. ~ of sth the higher, etc. sections of an organization, a system, etc. :
There are still few women in the upper reaches of the civil service.
Many clubs in the lower reaches of the league are in financial difficulty.
•
IDIOMS
- within (easy) reach (of sth)
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English rǣcan , of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch reiken and German reichen .