Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Reach \Reach\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Reached}({Raught}, the old
   preterit, is obsolete); p. pr. & vb. n. {Reaching}.] [OE.
   rechen, AS. r[=ae]can, r[=ae]cean, to extend, stretch out;
   akin to D. reiken, G. reichen, and possibly to AS. r[=i]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.

Source : WordNet®

reaching
     n 1: the act of physically reaching or thrusting out [syn: {reach},
           {stretch}]
     2: accomplishment of an objective [syn: {arrival}]