near

Meanings

Adjective

• Physically close.
• Close in time.
• Closely connected or related.
• Close to one's interests, affection, etc.; intimate; dear.
• Close to anything followed or imitated; not free, loose, or rambling.
• So as barely to avoid or pass injury or loss; close; narrow.
• Approximate, almost.
• On the side nearest to the kerb (the left-hand side if one drives on the left).
• Next to the driver, when he is on foot; on the left of an animal or a team.
• Immediate; direct; close; short.
• Stingy; parsimonious.

Adverb

• At or towards a position close in space or time.
• Nearly; almost.

Verb

• To come closer to; to approach.

Noun

• The left side of a horse or of a team of horses pulling a carriage etc.

Related

Similar words

• nigh, quasi-

Opposite words

• far from

Origin

• , influenced by Old Norse nær, both originating from Proto-Germanic *nēhwiz, comparative of the adverb *nēhw. Cognate with Old Frisian niār, Dutch naar, German näher, Danish nær, Norwegian nær Swedish nära. See also nigh.
• Near appears to be derived from (or at the very least influenced by) the North Germanic languages; compare Danish nær, Norwegian nær Swedish nära, as opposed to nigh, which continues the inherited West Germanic adjective, like Dutch na, German nah, Luxembourgish no. Both, however, are ultimately derived from the same Proto-Germanic root: *nēhw.