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Gene93 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary

to reach out (to someone)

Hello,
If someone's standing in front of us, or lying down near us, can we say "She reached out to him." in the sense that she extended her arm in order to touch that person? Or maybe "She reached out for him" makes more sense? "Out" cannot be left out, can it? "She reached for/to him." looks somewhat bare to me.

Thank you
  

Top answer

" in the sense that she extended her arm in order to touch that person? Yes. Gene93 Or maybe "She reached out for him" makes more sense?

— Mister Micawber

  • " in the sense that she extended her arm in order to touch that person?
  • Yes.
  • Gene93 Or maybe "She reached out for him" makes more sense?
  • About the same sense.
  • Gene93 "Out" cannot be left out, can it?
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6 Answers
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Gene93If someone's standing in front of us, or lying down near us, can we say "She reached out to him." in the sense that she extended her arm in order to touch that person?
Yes.
Gene93Or maybe "She reached out for him" makes more sense?
About the same sense.
Gene93"Out" cannot be left out, can it? "S
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I might be wrong, but I think that "to" only indicates the direction, whereas "for" suggests that she maybe wants to touch him. Does it make sense?
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Gene93I might be wrong, but I think that "to" only indicates the direction, whereas "for" suggests that she maybe wants to touch him. Does it make sense?
Not really in the context you have given. Use common sense: what is the woman after?
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I am sorry, sir. I don't know what I am after Emotion: smile.
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Gene93I am sorry, sir. I don't know what I am after .
Then you don't know what to say.
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Gene93I don't know what I am after
What the woman in your sentences is after, that is, trying to do. We cannot discern, indeed it is a trivial thought, whether she wishes to touch the person or not.
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