▪ I. † retch, n.1 Obs.
[Cf. retch v.1]
A variant of reach n.1 in various senses.
| 1545 R. Ascham Toxoph. (Arb.) 33 There was nothing within his retche and shote, but he wolde hit it in what place he wolde. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. 4 b, Matters that passed common capacitie of man, and aboue the retch of naturall knowledge. 1607 Hieron Defence i. 107 His wordes are set vpon the tainter, and stretcht beyond their retche. c 1630 Risdon Surv. Devon §256 (1810) 265 Whose park is in a manner insulated by the river's winding retches. |
▪ II. retch, n.2
[f. retch v.2]
= reach n.2
| 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville (1849) 369 The morning found him still..with many a retch and spasm. |
▪ III. † retch, n.3 Obs. rare.
[? f. retch v.1]
A bent piece of iron fastening the sheat of a plough to the beam.
| 1733 Tull Horse-Hoeing Husb. xxi. (Dubl.) 302, Z is the double Retch, which holds up the Sheat. 1766 Compl. Farmer s.v. Sheat 6 T 1/2 The sheat..fastened to the beam by a retch (a piece of iron with two legs). |
▪ IV. retch, v.1 Obs. exc. dial.
(rɛtʃ)
Also 4 recche, 5 retchyn, 5–6 retche.
[Var. of reach v.1 (cf. ratch v.1), but the trans. use might also represent OE. reccan.]
1. intr. a. To stretch, expand.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 317 A craft..to make þe glas tough i-now to bende and wende, and to recche out wiþ strokes of hameres. 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. (1586) i. 11 The greatest Boote was made of such leather as woulde shrinke in the wearing, and the other of a Hyde that would..retch. 1661 Boyle Spring of Air iii. ix. (1682) 73 Such thin Vials are subject upon the withdrawal of the ambient Air to retch a little. 1668 Wilkins Real Char. 191 Let there be a String to hang it upon, the smallest, limberest, and least subject to retch. |
† b. To extend from (one place) to (another). Obs.
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. i. xvii. 49 Ropes that shal retche in trauers from that one stake to that other. 1495 Trevisa's Barth. De P. R. xvii. clxiii. 710 Trabs hath that name of traho, that is to drawe other to retche, for they retche fro one walle to a nother and is joyned and styckyd therin. |
† c. To attain to (a certain place), above, or beyond (a certain limit). Obs.
| 1565 Satir. Poems Reform. i. 144 That curre favell in the court might retche to higher rowme. 1584–7 Greene Card of Fancie To Rdr., So Gentlemen,..I haue before time rashlie retcht aboue my pitch. 1635 Quarles Embl. ii. ii, How our hands can retch Beyond their distance! |
2. trans. To stretch or draw out. Also refl., to stretch (oneself).
| c 1475 Promp. Parv. (MS. K) 425/2 Retchyn, or drawyn owt. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop v. x, After that he was rysen vp fro his bedde,..he retched hym self. 1575 Chr. Prayers in Priv. Prayers (1851) 509 Drawing and retching out thy body to the length and breadth of the cross. 1608 Panke Fal of Babel 16 Canonists..wrest the holy scriptures, as shomakers doe wrest & retch their leather with their teeth. 1650 Bp. Hall Balm of Gilead (ed. 3) 3 His patience is retched so farre as to curse..his Nativity. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 30 If the Soul be not retched out with the body, but settles in some room whence it may..sway the whole body; then [etc.]. a 1711 Ken Hymns Evang. Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 160 His tender Hands and Feet with Cords they retch. 18.. in N. & Q. 6th Ser. (1883) VII. 415/1 When he had tanned [the hide] and retched it. |
b. To succeed in touching (something).
| 1530 Palsgr. 689/2, I retche with a weapen or with my hande, Je attains. |
▪ V. retch, v.2
(rɛtʃ, riːtʃ)
[Var. of reach v.2, to which form the pron. (riːtʃ) properly belongs.]
† 1. intr. To hawk, bring up phlegm. Obs.—0
| 1548 [see retching vbl. n.2] 1565 Cooper Thesaurus s.v. Excreatio, [It] maketh men spitte and retche vp easely. 1623 Cockeram i, Excreate, to retch, or spit out. |
2. a. intr. To make efforts to vomit.
| 1850 P. Crook War of Hats 37 It made me almost retch To hear the tedious dullard prate and preach. 1861 G. F. Berkeley Eng. Sportsman xi. 172 A fellow..who was intermittingly prostrated by fever and ague, and lying..on the ground, retching for twelve hours out of the twenty-four. 1872 Darwin Emotions xi. 260 The tendency to retch from a fetid odour is immediately strengthened in a curious manner by some degree of habit. |
b. trans. To throw up in vomiting.
| 1888 Pall Mall G. 13 Oct. 2/2 Some not able to carry their load of beer further than the gutter into which they retch the foul-smelling, poisonous liquid. |
▪ VI. † retch, v.3 Obs. rare—1.
[Perh. repr. OE. reccan to rule, direct.]
trans. ? To guide, lead.
| 1535 Goodly Prymer, Ps. xxiii. S ij b, He made me to feede in a full plentuouse batle grounde, and dyd dryue and retche me at leasure by the swete ryuers. |