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Glite Dictionary
reach-around

reach-around

1 9.9
A secret unfair action to get help or advantage
  • noun
  • /ˈriːtʃəˌraʊnd/
  • Jargon
translation icon : favor político
  • Many believe that the deal was a reach-around in disguise.

Examples

  • The politician offered a reach-around to secure votes.

  • The senator's opponents accused him of a reach-around to get key endorsements.

  • It was clear from the report that some sort of reach-around had occurred behind the scenes.

  • Many suspected the executive used a reach-around to obtain the lucrative contract.

  • In politics, a reach-around often involves compromising one's principles to gain support.

  • His questionable tactics included a reach-around to secure the deal with the investors.

  • To secure the promotion, she resorted to a reach-around, flattering her boss in an insincere manner.

Synonyms

manipulation
vsreach-around
130 5.5

Getting someone to do what you want to help yourself using clever or dishonest actions

is focused on direct influencing not necessarily seeking personal favour by flattery
dirty tricks
vsreach-around
12 6.0

Secret dishonest actions that harm or make someone look bad, often in politics and business

is aimed at harming rivals rather than using personal flattery to gain advantage
sycophancy
vsreach-around
  • Formal
1 9.5

A way of acting that praises a powerful person to get favors

is a broader dubious method rather than personal servile flattery
bootlicking
vsreach-around
  • Offensive
8.6

Acting too friendly and praising people in power to get favors

is a more general unethical technique not only obsequious personal behaviour

Antonyms

ethical
280 4.1

Following rules about what is right and wrong in people's actions

transparent
68 4.1

A person or process that is open and honest and does not hide information

How Ethical

tactic
516 3.0
reach-around
  • Jargon
1 9.9
schemey tactic
  • Informal
8.4

Surface Forms

reach-around singular
reach-arounds plural

Morphology

reach-around = reach (opaque) = around + reach

Although formed by 'reach' + 'around', the slang/idiomatic meaning 'a dubious or indirect favor' is not directly inferable from the literal components. [Postprocessing: moved 'around' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

The word reach-around mixes reach ('to stretch out') and around ('to the other side'), giving a picture of someone stretching past a person or a rule to get something. So a reach-around means a secret or dishonest method used to gain an advantage.