If something is near, near to, or close to a place or thing, it is a short distance from it. When close has this meaning, it is pronounced /kləʊs/.
When near and close have this meaning, don't use them immediately in front of a noun. Instead use nearby.
However, the superlative form nearest can be used immediately in front of a noun.
You can use near immediately in front of a noun to say that something is almost a particular thing.
You can also use near immediately in front of an adjective and a noun to say that something almost has a particular quality.
You can use near, near to, or close to immediately in front of a noun to say that someone or something is almost in a particular state.
You can refer to someone you know well as a 'close friend'.
Don't refer to someone as a 'near friend'.
You can refer to someone who is directly related to you as a 'close relative'.
You can also refer to someone as a 'near relative', but this is less common.
Be Careful!
Don't confuse the adjective 'close' with the verb close /kləʊz/. If you close something, you move it so that it fills a hole or gap.
| Imperative |
|---|
| near |
| near |
| Verb | 1. | near - move towards; "We were approaching our destination"; "They are drawing near"; "The enemy army came nearer and nearer"come, come up - move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody; "He came singing down the road"; "Come with me to the Casbah"; "come down here!"; "come out of the closet!"; "come into the room" drive up - approach while driving; "The truck entered the driveway and drove up towards the house" bear down on, bear down upon - sail towards another vessel, of a ship close - draw near; "The probe closed with the space station" |
| Adj. | 1. | near - 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" far - located at a great distance in time or space or degree; "we come from a far country"; "far corners of the earth"; "the far future"; "a far journey"; "the far side of the road"; "far from the truth"; "far in the future" |
| 2. | near - being on the left side; "the near or nigh horse is the one on the left"; "the animal's left side is its near or nigh side" left - being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north; "my left hand"; "left center field"; "the left bank of a river is bank on your left side when you are facing downstream" | |
| 3. | near - closely resembling the genuine article; "near beer"; "a dress of near satin" artificial, unreal - contrived by art rather than nature; "artificial flowers"; "artificial flavoring"; "an artificial diamond"; "artificial fibers"; "artificial sweeteners" | |
| 4. | near - giving or spending with reluctance; "our cheeseparing administration"; "very close (or near) with his money"; "a penny-pinching miserly old man" stingy, ungenerous - unwilling to spend; "she practices economy without being stingy"; "an ungenerous response to the appeal for funds" | |
| 5. | near - with or in a close or intimate relationship; "a good friend"; "my sisters and brothers are near and dear" close - close in relevance or relationship; "a close family"; "we are all...in close sympathy with..."; "close kin"; "a close resemblance" | |
| 6. | near - very close in resemblance; "sketched in an approximate likeness"; "a near likeness"close - close in relevance or relationship; "a close family"; "we are all...in close sympathy with..."; "close kin"; "a close resemblance" | |
| Adv. | 1. | near - 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" |
| 2. | near - (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but; "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" |