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Reach vs Achieve - What's the difference?

reach | achieve |

In intransitive terms the difference between reach and achieve

is that reach is to extend in dimension, time etc.; to stretch out continuously ({{term|past}}, {{term|beyond}}, {{term|above}}, {{term|from}} etc. something) while achieve is to succeed in something, now especially in academic performance.

As verbs the difference between reach and achieve

is that reach is to extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like while achieve is to succeed in something, now especially in academic performance.

As a noun reach

is the act of stretching or extending; extension; power of reaching or touching with the person, or a limb, or something held or thrown.

As an acronym REACH

is Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals

reach

English

Verb

(es)
  • To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like.
  • Hence, to deliver by stretching out a member, especially the hand; to give with the hand; to pass to another; to hand over.
  • To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; to extend some part of the body, or something held by one, so as to touch, strike, grasp, etc.
  • To strike or touch with a missile.
  • Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.}}
  • To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent.
  • * Milton
  • Thy desire leads to no excess / That reaches blame.
  • To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to.
  • * Cheyne
  • The best account of the appearances of nature which human penetration can reach , comes short of its reality.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=But Miss Thorn relieved the situation by laughing aloud,
  • (obsolete) To understand; to comprehend.
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
  • Do what, sir? I reach you not.
  • (obsolete) To overreach; to deceive.
  • (South)
  • To stretch out the hand.
  • To strain after something; to make efforts.
  • To extend in dimension, time etc.; to stretch out continuously ((past), (beyond), (above), (from) etc. something).
  • * 1994 , Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom , Abacus 2010, p. 4:
  • The Thembu tribe reaches back for twenty generations to King Zwide.
  • (nautical) To sail on the wind, as from one point of tacking to another, or with the wind nearly abeam.
  • Usage notes

    * In the past, raught'', ''rought'' and ''retcht could be found as past tense forms; these are now obsolete, except perhaps in some dialects.

    Derived terms

    * far-reaching * forereach * outreach * overreach * reachable * reach an early grave * reach for the stars * rereach *

    Noun

    (es)
  • The act of stretching or extending; extension; power of reaching or touching with the person, or a limb, or something held or thrown.
  • The fruit is beyond my reach .
    to be within reach of cannon shot
  • * 1918 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Chapter VI
  • and we have learned not to fire at any of the dinosaurs unless we can keep out of their reach for at least two minutes after hitting them in the brain or spine, or five minutes after puncturing their hearts—it takes them so long to die.
  • The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity.
  • * Hayward
  • Drawn by others who had deeper reaches than themselves to matters which they least intended.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Be sure yourself and your own reach to know.
  • Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope.
  • * Milton
  • And on the left hand, hell, / With long reach , interposed.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I am to pray you not to strain my speech / To grosser issues, nor to larger reach / Than to suspicion.
  • (informal) An exaggeration; an extension beyond evidence or normal; a stretch.
  • To call George eloquent is certainly a reach .
  • (boxing) The distance a boxer's arm can extend to land a blow.
  • An extended portion of land or water; a stretch; a straight portion of a stream or river, as from one turn to another; a level stretch, as between locks in a canal; an arm of the sea extending up into the land.
  • * Tennyson
  • The river's wooded reach .
  • * Holland
  • The coast is very full of creeks and reaches .
  • (nautical) Any point of sail in which the wind comes from the side of a vessel, excluding close-hauled.
  • (obsolete) An article to obtain an advantage.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • The Duke of Parma had particular reaches and ends of his own underhand to cross the design.
  • The pole or rod connecting the rear axle with the forward bolster of a wagon.
  • An effort to vomit; a retching.
  • Derived terms

    * arm's reach * beam reach * boardinghouse reach * broad reach * dry reach * earreach * eyereach * gunreach * reach-around * reachless

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * * 1000 English basic words ----

    achieve

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete )

    Verb

    (achiev)
  • To succeed in something, now especially in academic performance.
  • To carry out successfully; to accomplish.
  • * I. Taylor
  • Supposing faculties and powers to be the same, far more may be achieved in any line by the aid of a capital, invigorating motive than without it.
  • (obsolete) To conclude, finish, especially successfully.
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , III.1:
  • Full many Countreyes they did overronne, / From the uprising to the setting Sunne, / And many hard adventures did atchieve [...].
  • To obtain, or gain (a desired result, objective etc.), as the result of exertion; to succeed in gaining; to win.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=I was about to say that I had known the Celebrity from the time he wore kilts. But I see I will have to amend that, because he was not a celebrity then, nor, indeed, did he achieve fame until some time after I left New York for the West.}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2013, date=January 22, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC
  • , title= Aston Villa 2-1 Bradford (3-4) , passage=Bradford may have lost on the night but they stubbornly protected a 3-1 first-leg advantage to emulate a feat last achieved by Rochdale in 1962.}}
  • * (William Shakespeare), (Twelfth Night), II-v
  • Some are born great, some achieve greatness.
  • *
  • Thou hast achieved our liberty.
  • (obsolete) To conclude, to turn out.
  • * Prior
  • Show all the spoils by valiant kings achieved .
  • * (William Shakespeare), (Othello), II-i
  • He hath achieved a maid / That paragons description.

    Synonyms

    * accomplish, effect, fulfil, fulfill, complete, execute, perform, realize, obtain. See accomplish

    Derived terms

    * achievement * achiever