räckhåll

Räckhåll is a Swedish noun meaning the maximum distance within which something can be touched, reached, or operated. It covers both physical reach—how far a person can extend a hand—and the functional range of a device, tool, or system. In everyday language it appears in phrases such as within räckhåll or inom räckhåll, indicating that an object is close enough to be acted upon. In technical contexts, räckhåll can refer to the effective operating distance of equipment, for example a camera’s focus range or a weapon’s effective reach.

Etymology and usage notes: The word is a compound built from räcka ('to reach') and håll (holding or distance). Its use spans literal and metaphorical senses, with the figurative sense indicating what is feasible or accessible.

Relation to related terms: Räckhåll is often contrasted with räckvidd, where räckhåll tends to emphasize immediacy and touch or short-range interaction, while räckvidd denotes a longer or more general range of operation for a device or system. Avstånd is a generic synonym used for distance but does not convey the nuance of reach.

In summary, räckhåll describes the immediate distance within which something can be reached or acted upon, applicable to people, tools, and technologies, with nuances differing from related terms such as räckvidd.