Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US und.) to recruit and initiate into crime.

1872

E. Crapsey Nether Side of NY 125: [T]hey [child bootblacks] are reached by the burglars, who so often need a ‘kid’ in their nefarious enterprises, and thus lead these hapless boys to deadly familiarity with crime.

2. (US) to bribe or otherwise suborn.

1906		A.H. Lewis Confessions of a Detective 7: That doctor party is on the level, and can’t be reached.
1917		F. Packard Adventures of Jimmie Dale (1918) I x: Lannigan, it was well known, could not be ‘reached’.
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 155: Reach.–To bribe; to intimidate or buy off a complainant.
1937		(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.
1952		(con. 1920s) ‘Harry Grey’ Hoods (1953) 134: He’s still making pinches [...] What’s the matter? Can’t Frank reach him?
1961		Mad mag. Jan. 36: A former All-American, before he was caught throwing a game [...] George ‘I Can Be Reached’ Fortescue.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 815: reach –To bribe; to intimidate or buy off a complainant.
1991		B. McCarthy Vice Cop 155: ‘We’re in. [sic]’ he said. This guy wants to reach.’ The sergeant smiled. [...] Reach meant pay, payoff, bribe, cough up whatever it would take to make the problem go away’.

3. (US) to rob.

1948

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

4. (US black) to help.

1983

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

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

1999		(con. 1979–80) A. Wheatle Brixton Rock (2004) 143: We did wait [...] until the beast dem chip. Then we reach up here.
2000		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!
2005		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’.
2016		Skepta ‘Crime Riddim’ 🎵 My bredrin said that he's in the rave, told me that I should reach.