See Also:

near(1) (iou)



near adjective. ME.
[from NEAR adverb2.]
Closely connected by blood or friendship; (esp. of a friend or friendship) close, intimate, familiar. ME.
D. H. Lawrence The near kin of Meg were all in California. E. Bowen She is Robert's near relative.
Designating or pertaining to the left side of a horse, other animal, or vehicle (being the side from which an animal was traditionally mounted, led, or approached). Opp. OFF adjective 2. ME.
E. L. Anderson To mount without stirrups the rider should stand facing the near shoulder of the horse.
Close at hand, not distant, in space or time. M16.
Ld Macaulay The near prospect of reward animated the zeal of the troops. R. Graves He marched..to Boulogne, the nearest port to Britain.
Close, narrow. Chiefly fig. M16.
J. Davies Having weighed one parcel, so as they may have a near guess at the rest.
Of a road: short, direct. L16.
Addison It is a pity..there is not a nearer way of coming at it.
Closely affecting or touching one. E17.
J. Norris It was of nearer consequence to Archimedes.
Niggardly, stingy, mean. E17.
Special collocations, comb., & phrases: Near East the region comprising the countries of the eastern Mediterranean. Near Eastern adjective of or pertaining to the Near East. nearest and dearest (freq. joc.) one's closest friends and relatives collectively. nearest neighbour (chiefly Statistics) the member of a series or array nearest to that being considered. near go colloq. a narrow escape. near infrared: see INFRARED noun. near miss (a) a shot that only just misses a target; (b) a situation in which a collision is narrowly avoided; (c) an attempt which is almost successful. near money a deposit, bond, etc., easily convertible into ready money. near sight (chiefly US) = short sight s.v. SHORT adjective. near-sighted adjective (a) having distinct vision only of near objects; short-sighted; (b) rare close, careful. near-sightedly adverb short-sightedly. near-sightedness short-sightedness. near thing something barely effected; a narrow escape. near ultraviolet: see ULTRAVIOLET noun.
nearish adjective fairly near M19.
nearness noun LME.