Near word meaning and definition

[adv] (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; `near' is sometimes used informally for `nearly' and `most' is sometimes used informally for `almost'; "the job is (just) about done"; "the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded"; "we're almost finished"; "the car all but ran her down"; "he nearly fainted"; "talked for nigh onto 2 hours"; "the recording is well-nigh perfect"; "virtually all the parties signed the contract"; "I was near exhausted by the run"; "most everyone agrees"
[adv] near in time or place or relationship; "as the wedding day drew near"; "stood near the door"; "don't shoot until they come near"; "getting near to the true explanation"; "her mother is always near"; "The end draws nigh"; "the bullet didn't come close"; "don't get too close to the fire"
[adjective] not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances; "near neighbors"; "in the near future"; "they are near equals"; "his nearest approach to success"; "a very near thing"; "a near hit by the bomb"; "she was near tears"; "she was close to tears"; "had a close call"
[adjective] (comparative of `close') indicating the one of two that is the shorter distance away; "take the near street and ten turn right"
[adjective] very close in resemblance; "sketched in an approximate likeness"; "a near likeness"
[adjective] with or in a close or intimate relationship; "a good friend"; "my sisters and brothers are near and dear"
[adjective] giving or spending with reluctance; "our cheeseparing administration"; "very close (or near) with his money"; "a penny-pinching miserly old man"
[adjective] closely resembling the genuine article; "near beer"; "a dress of near satin"
[verb] move towards; "We were approaching our destination"; "They are drawing near"; "The enemy army came nearer and nearer"

\Near\ (n[=e]r), adv. [AS. ne['a]r, compar. of ne['a]h nigh. See {Nigh}.] 1. At a little distance, in place, time, manner, or degree; not remote; nigh. My wife! my traitress! let her not come near me. --Milton. 2. Nearly; almost; well-nigh. ``Near twenty years ago.'' --Shak. ``Near a fortnight ago.'' --Addison. Near about the yearly value of the land. --Locke. 3. Closely; intimately. --Shak. {Far and near}, at a distance and close by; throughout a whole region. {To come near to}, to want but little of; to approximate to. ``Such a sum he found would go near to ruin him.'' --Addison. {Near the wind} (Naut.), close to the wind; closehauled.
\Near\, a. [Compar. {Nearer}; superl. {Nearest}.] [See {Near}, adv.] 1. Not far distant in time, place, or degree; not remote; close at hand; adjacent; neighboring; nigh. ``As one near death.'' --Shak. He served great Hector, and was ever near, Not with his trumpet only, but his spear. --Dryden. 2. Closely connected or related. She is thy father's near kinswoman. --Lev. xviii. 12. 3. Close to one's interests, affection, etc.; touching, or affecting intimately; intimate; dear; as, a near friend. 4. Close to anything followed or imitated; not free, loose, or rambling; as, a version near to the original. 5. So as barely to avoid or pass injury or loss; close; narrow; as, a near escape. 6. Next to the driver, when he is on foot; in the Unted States, on the left of an animal or a team; as, the near ox; the near leg. See {Off side}, under {Off}, a. 7. Immediate; direct; close; short. ``The nearest way.'' --Milton. 8. Close-fisted; parsimonious. [Obs. or Low, Eng.] Note: Near may properly be followed by to before the thing approached'; but more frequently to is omitted, and the adjective or the adverb is regarded as a preposition. The same is also true of the word nigh. Syn: Nigh; close; adjacent; proximate; contiguous; present; ready; intimate; dear.
\Near\, prep. Adjacent to; close by; not far from; nigh; as, the ship sailed near the land. See the Note under {near}, a.
\Near\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Neared}; p. pr. & vb. n {Nearing}.] [See {Near}, adv.] To approach; to come nearer; as, the ship neared the land.
\Near\, v. i. To draw near; to approach. A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist! And still it neared, and neared. --Coleridge.

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