reaching : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: reaching	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for reaching
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
reaching n the act of physically reaching or thrusting out [syn: reach, reaching, stretch] accomplishment of an objective Synonym(s): arrival, reaching
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Reach \Reach\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Reached}({Raught}, the old preterit, is obsolete); p. pr. & vb. n. {Reaching}.] [OE. rechen, AS. r[aemac]can, r[aemac]cean, to extend, stretch out; akin to D. reiken, G. reichen, and possibly to AS. r[c6]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.