reaching

Meanings

Verb

• Present participle of reach

Noun

• The action of one who reaches; an attempt to grasp something by stretching.
• Sailing on a reach, i.e. having the wind on either side and coming from an angle that is larger with respect to the bow than when sailing close-hauled.

Origin

• From Middle English reching, rechyng, recchinge, rechand, from Old English *rǣċende and reċċende, from Proto-Germanic *raikijandz, present participle of *raikijaną and Proto-Germanic *rakjandz, present participle of *rakjaną. Equivalent to reach + -ing.
• From Middle English rechynge, recchinge, from Old English rǣċing, equivalent to reach + -ing.