Green’s Dictionary of Slang

reach v.

1. (US) to bribe or otherwise suborn.

[US]A.H. Lewis Confessions of a Detective 7: That doctor party is on the level, and can’t be reached.
[US]F. Packard Adventures of Jimmie Dale (1918) I x: Lannigan, it was well known, could not be ‘reached’.
[US]Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 155: Reach.–To bribe; to intimidate or buy off a complainant.
[US](con. 1905–25) E.H. Sutherland Professional Thief (1956) 94: The court realized that the victim had been reached (fixed) and started to blast him.
[US](con. 1920s) ‘Harry Grey’ Hoods (1953) 134: He’s still making pinches [...] What’s the matter? Can’t Frank reach him?
[US]Mad mag. Jan. 36: A former All-American, before he was caught throwing a game [...] George ‘I Can Be Reached’ Fortescue.
[US]Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 815: reach –To bribe; to intimidate or buy off a complainant.

2. (US) to rob.

[US]C.S. Montanye ‘This Murder’s On Me’ in Thrilling Detective June 🌐 Mrs. Haviland had been reached for eighty thousand dollars in jewelry.

3. (US black) to help.

[US]R. Klein Jailhouse Jargon and Street Sl. [unpub. ms.].

4. (UK/US black) to go somewhere.

[UK](con. 1979–80) A. Wheatle Brixton Rock (2004) 143: We did wait [...] until the beast dem chip. Then we reach up here.
[US]Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 reach Definition: to depart; to go somewhere. Example: Fuck this boring shit, let’s reach to yo house and smoke dis shit!
[UK]Jade LB Keisha the Sket (2021) 21: ‘Dat sexc bwoi ramel iz invitin me 2 his yard 4 a lash init but i duno if i gna reach it or not’.
[UK]Skepta ‘Crime Riddim’ 🎵 My bredrin said that he's in the rave, told me that I should reach.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

reach for the sky (v.) (also reach for a cloud, ...the moon, ...roof, ...stars, ...stratosphere)

(US) to put one’s hands in the air.

[US]W.M. Raine Bucky O’Connor (1910) 25: Now reach for the roof.
[US]W.M. Raine Brand Blotters (1912) 165: Never mind who I am. Reach for the sky.
[UK](con. 1929) R.E. Burns I Am a Fugitive 161: He killed a rich broker [...] who didn’t reach for a cloud fast enough.
[UK]G. Ingram Cockney Cavalcade 231: ‘Reach for the stars, you!’ the latter was ordered.
[US]Times (Shreveport, LA) 18 Aug. 52/2: [cartoon caption] ‘Stick ’em up! Reach for the sky!’.
[US]S.J. Perelman ‘Farewell, My Lovely Appetiser’ in Keep It Crisp 15: Reach for the stratosphere, gumshoe.
[US]T. Thackrey Thief 360: They didn’t have to say a word. I reached for the moon and stood still.
Pampa Dly News (TX) 21 Mar. 24/1: [cartoon caption] ‘Reach for the sky, Mister’.
[US]C. Dubowski Toy Story 2: Reach for the sky!
News-Press (Fort Myers, FL) 24 Jan. 21/3: [advert] Reachfor the sky...and we’ll throw in a Toon Disney blanket Free!