Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Near
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.
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
Not with his trumpet only, but his spear.
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
friend4.
Close to anything followed or imitated; not free, loose, or rambling;
as, a version
. near
to the original5.
So as barely to avoid or pass injury or loss; close; narrow{3};
as, a
. near
escape; a near
miss6.
Next to the driver, when he is on foot; in the Unted States, on the left of an animal or a team;
as, the
. See near
ox; the near
legOff side
, under Off
, a
. 7.
Immediate; direct; close; short.
“The nearest way.” Milton.
8.
Close-fisted; parsimonious.
[Obs. or Low, Eng.]
☞ 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; familiar; dear.
Near
,p
rep.
Adjacent to; close by; not far from; nigh;
as, the ship sailed
. See the Note under near
the landnear
, Adj.
Near
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Neared
; p. pr. & vb. n
Nearing
.] [See ]
Near
, adv.
To approach; to come nearer;
as, the ship
. neared
the landNear
,Verb.
I.
To draw near; to approach.
A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist!
And still it
And still it
neared
, and neared
. Coleridge.
Webster 1828 Edition
Near
NEAR
,Adj.
1.
Nigh; not far distant in place, time or degree. Regularly, near should be followed by to, but this is often omitted. We say, a house stands near a river; a friend sits near me; the man fell and was near destruction.And Jacob went near to Isaac his father. Genesis 27.
Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13.
2.
Closely related by blood.She is thy fathers near kinswoman. Leviticus 18.
3.
Not distant in affection, support or assistance; present; ready; willing to aid.Call upon the Lord, while he is near. Isaiah 55.
4.
Intimate; united in close ties of affection or confidence; as a near friend.5.
Dear; affecting ones interest or feelings; as a near concern.My nearest life.
6.
Close; parsimonious.7.
Close; not loose, free or rambling; as a version near the original.8.
Next to one; opposed to off; as the near horse or ox in a team.