# reaching

Pronunciation: say "REE-ching" /ˈɹiːt͡ʃɪŋ/

## Verb

1. Present participle and gerund of reach. — present participle and gerund of reach
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of reach. Use this form for an action happening now or as the name of the action.
   - _The toddler kept reaching toward the bright balloon._
   - _Reaching the summit took the climbers two full days._

## Noun

2. The action of stretching out toward something, especially in an attempt to grasp it.
   - Simple: The act of stretching out your arm to try to grab something.
   - _His reaching fell short, and the keys stayed on the high shelf._
   - _Therapists track an infant's reaching toward nearby objects as part of early motor development._
3. Sailing with the wind coming across the side of the boat, at a wider angle to the bow than when sailing close-hauled.
   - Simple: Sailing with the wind coming from the side of the boat rather than the front.
   - _The skipper called for reaching once the wind shifted to the beam._
   - _Hours of steady reaching carried the sloop along the rugged coastline._

## Origin

**Meaning 1** — This comes from Middle English reching, from Old English forms like reċċende ("reaching"), which trace back to Proto-Germanic present participles of verbs meaning "to stretch, reach" and "to stretch, straighten." It is equivalent to reach + -ing.
**Meanings 2–3** — This comes from Middle English rechynge, from Old English rǣċing ("reaching, extending"), equivalent to reach + -ing.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/reaching (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).