to get to or get as far as in moving, going, traveling, etc.

The boat reached the shore.

to come to or arrive at in some course of progress, action, etc.

Your letter never reached me.

to succeed in touching or seizing with an outstretched hand, a pole, etc.

to reach a book on a high shelf.

to stretch or hold out; extend

reaching out a hand in greeting.

to stretch or extend so as to touch or meet

The bookcase reaches the ceiling.

to establish communication with

I called but couldn't reach you.

to amount to, as in the sum or total

The cost will reach millions.

to penetrate to

distant stars the eye cannot reach.

to succeed in striking or hitting, as with a weapon or missile

The artillery fire reached the shore.

to succeed in making contact with, influencing, impressing, interesting, convincing, etc.

a program that reached a large teenage audience.

to make a stretch, as with the hand or arm.

to become outstretched, as the hand or arm.

to make a movement or effort as if to touch or seize something

to reach for a weapon.

to extend in operation or effect

power that reaches throughout the land.

to stretch in space; extend in direction, length, distance, etc.

a coat reaching to the knee; a tower reaching to the skies.

to extend or continue in time.

to get or come to a specified place, person, condition, etc. (often fol. by to ).

to amount (often fol. by to )

sums reaching to a considerable total.

to penetrate

Fields of flowers extended as far as the eye could reach.

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.

Nautical .

to sail on a reach.

to sail with the wind forward of the beam but so as not to require sailing close-hauled.

an act or instance of reaching

to make a reach for a gun.

the extent or distance of reaching

within reach of his voice.

range of effective action, power, or capacity.

a continuous stretch or extent of something

a reach of woodland.

Also called pound. a level portion of a canal, between locks.

Nautical . 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).

the pole connecting the rear axle of a wagon to the transverse bar or bolster over the front axle supporting the wagon bed.

a straight portion of a river between two bends.

adjective

accessible , answer , attainable , impression , influence , obtainable , possible , reaction , response