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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Near \Near\, adjective [Compar. {Nearer}; superl. {Nearest}.] [See {Near}, adverb]
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[3]; as, a near escape; a near miss.
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}, adjective
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; familiar; dear.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
nearest
adjective: (superlative of 'near' or 'nigh') most near [syn: {nighest}]
adverb: (superlative of 'near' or 'close') within the shortest distance; "that was the time he came nearest to death" [syn: {nighest}, {closest}]
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |