— reachable , adj. — reachability , n. — reacher , n.
/reech/ , v.t.
1. to get to or get as far as in moving, going, traveling, etc.: The boat reached the shore.
2. to come to or arrive at in some course of progress, action, etc.: Your letter never reached me.
3. to succeed in touching or seizing with an outstretched hand, a pole, etc.: to reach a book on a high shelf.
4. to stretch or hold out; extend: reaching out a hand in greeting.
5. to stretch or extend so as to touch or meet: The bookcase reaches the ceiling.
6. to establish communication with: I called but couldn't reach you.
7. to amount to, as in the sum or total: The cost will reach millions.
8. to penetrate to: distant stars the eye cannot reach.
9. to succeed in striking or hitting, as with a weapon or missile: The artillery fire reached the shore.
10. to succeed in making contact with, influencing, impressing, interesting, convincing, etc.: a program that reached a large teenage audience.
v.i.
11. to make a stretch, as with the hand or arm.
12. to become outstretched, as the hand or arm.
13. to make a movement or effort as if to touch or seize something: to reach for a weapon.
14. to extend in operation or effect: power that reaches throughout the land.
15. to stretch in space; extend in direction, length, distance, etc.: a coat reaching to the knee; a tower reaching to the skies.
16. to extend or continue in time.
17. to get or come to a specified place, person, condition, etc. (often fol. by to ).
18. to amount (often fol. by to ): sums reaching to a considerable total.
19. to penetrate: Fields of flowers extended as far as the eye could reach.
20. to assert or agree without certainty or sufficient evidence; infer hastily: I'd be reaching if I said I had the answer to your question.
21. Naut.
a. to sail on a reach.
b. to sail with the wind forward of the beam but so as not to require sailing close-hauled.
n.
22. an act or instance of reaching: to make a reach for a gun.
23. the extent or distance of reaching: within reach of his voice.
24. range of effective action, power, or capacity.
25. a continuous stretch or extent of something: a reach of woodland.
26. Also called pound . a level portion of a canal, between locks.
27. Naut. a point of sailing in which the wind is within a few points of the beam, either forward of the beam (close reach) , directly abeam (beam reach) , or abaft the beam (broad reach) .
28. the pole connecting the rear axle of a wagon to the transverse bar or bolster over the front axle supporting the wagon bed.
29. a straight portion of a river between two bends.
[ bef. 900; (v.) ME rechen, OE raecan (c. G reichen, D reiken ); (n.) deriv. of the v. ]
Syn. 1. attain. 24. area, sphere, scope.