reaches

reach  (rch)

v. reached, reach·ing, reach·es

v.tr.

1. To stretch out or put forth (a body part); extend: reached out an arm.

2. To touch or grasp by stretching out or extending: can't reach the shelf.

3. To arrive at; attain: reached a conclusion; reached their destination.

4.

a. To succeed in getting in contact with or communicating with: They reached us by phone. Our newsletter reaches a specialized readership.

b. To succeed in having an effect on: No one seems able to reach her anymore.

5.

a. To extend as far as: The property reaches the shore.

b. To project as far as: A distant cry reached our ears.

c. To travel as far as: a long fly ball that reached the stadium's wall.

6. To aggregate or amount to: Sales reached the millions.

7. Informal To grasp and hand over to another: Reach me the sugar.

v.intr.

1. To thrust out or extend something.

2. To try to grasp or touch something: reached for a book.

3.

a. To have extension in space or time: a coat that reaches to the knee; a career that reached over several decades.

b. To be extensive in influence or effect.

4. To make an excessive effort, as in drawing a conclusion or making a joke; overreach.

5. Nautical To sail with the wind abeam.

n.

1. The act or an instance of stretching or thrusting out.

2. The extent or distance something can reach.

3.

a. Range of understanding; comprehension: a subject beyond my reach.

b. Range or scope of influence or effect.

4. An expanse: a reach of prairie; the lower reaches of the food chain.

5. A pole connecting the rear axle of a vehicle with the front.

6. Nautical The tack of a sailing vessel with the wind abeam.

7. The stretch of water visible between bends in a river or channel.

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[Middle English rechen, from Old English rcan; see reig- in Indo-European roots.]

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reacha·ble adj.

reacher n.

Synonyms: reach, achieve, attain, gain¹, compass
These verbs mean to succeed in arriving at a goal or objective. Reach is the least specific: reached home before dark; reach an understanding.
Achieve suggests the application of skill or initiative: achieved national recognition.
Attain implies the impelling force of ambition, principle, or ideals: trying to attain self-confidence.
Gain connotes considerable effort in surmounting obstacles: gained the workers' trust.
Compass implies succeeding by circumventing impediments: will compass the task. See Also Synonyms at range.

Translations

reaches [ˈriːtʃɪz] npl

[river] → cours m
the upper reaches → le cours supérieur
the upper reaches of the Amazon → le cours supérieur de l'Amazone
the lower reaches → le cours inférieur
the middle reaches → le cours principal

[place, area] the outer reaches of → les confins de
the outer reaches of the solar system → les confins du système solaire
the farthest reaches of → les confins de

(= level) [organization] the lower reaches → les échelons inférieurs
the lower reaches of the organization → les échelons inférieurs de l'organisation
the higher reaches → les instances supérieures
the higher reaches of the legal profession → les instances supérieures de la profession judiciaire