near´ness

near «nihr», adverb, adjective, preposition, verb.

–adv.

1. to or at a short distance; not far; close: »

The holiday season is drawing near. They searched near and far.

2. close in relation; closely: »

tribes near allied.

3. close to something in resemblance; almost next (to): »

Fool that's near To knave (Robert Browning).

4. Informal. all but; almost; nearly: »

The war lasted near a year.

5. thriftily: »

I had lived so near and so close that in a whole year I had not spent the 15s. which I had saved (Daniel Defoe).

6. Nautical. close to the direction of the wind.

–adj.

1. close by; not distant; less distant: »

the near future. The post office is quite near.

SYNONYM(S): close, nigh.

2. close in feeling; intimate; familiar: »

a near friend.

3. closely related: »

a near relative.

4. a) resembling closely: »

near silk.

b) approximating an original: »

a near translation.

5. on the left-hand side; left: »

The near horse and the off horse make a team.

6. short; direct: »

Take the nearest route.

7. stingy: »

Mr. Barkis was something of a miser, or as Peggotty dutifully expressed it, was “a little near” (Dickens).

8. by a close margin; narrow: »

a near escape.

9. closely affecting or touching one: »

War is a matter of great and near concern to all of us.

–prep.

close to in space, time, condition, or relation: »

Our house is near the river. It is near five o'clock.

–v.t., v.i.

to come or draw near to; approach: »

The ship neared the land. The vacation was nearing its end.

● ↑come near,

╂[Old English nēar nearer, comparative of nēah nigh, near]

–near´ness, noun.