Adjacent Words

Approach definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

APPROACH, v.i. [The Latin proximus contains the root, but the word, in the positive degree, is not found in the Latin. It is from a root in class Brg, signifying to drive, move, or press toward.]
1. To come or go near, in place; to draw near; to advance nearer.
Wherefore approached ye so nigh the city? 1 Samuel 11.
2. To draw near in time.
And so much the more as ye see the day approac. Hebrews 10.
3. To draw near, in a figurative sense; to advance near to a point aimed at, in science, literature, government, morals, etc.; to approximate; as, he approaches to the character of the ablest statesman.
4. To draw near in duty, as in prayer or worship.
They take delight in approaching to God. Isiah. 51.
APPROACH, v.t.
1. To come near to; as, Pope approaches Virgil in smoothness of versification. This use of the word is elliptical, to being omitted, so that the verb can hardly be said to be transitive. The old use of the word, as "approach the hand to the handle," is not legitimate.
2. To have access carnally. Leviticus 18.
3. In gardening, to ingraft a sprig or shoot of one tree into another, without cutting it from the parent stock.
APPROACH, n
1. The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near; as, he was aprised of the enemy's approach.
2. Access; as, the approach to kings.
3. In fortification, not only the advances of an army are called approaches, but the works thrown up by the beseigers, to protect them in their advances towards a fortress.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation; "his approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons"; "an attack on inflation"; "his plan of attack was misguided" [syn: approach, attack, plan of attack]
2: the act of drawing spatially closer to something; "the hunter's approach scattered the geese" [syn: approach, approaching, coming]
3: a way of entering or leaving; "he took a wrong turn on the access to the bridge" [syn: access, approach]
4: the final path followed by an aircraft as it is landing [syn: approach path, approach, glide path, glide slope]
5: the event of one object coming closer to another [syn: approach, approaching]
6: a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others; "she rejected his advances" [syn: overture, advance, approach, feeler]
7: the temporal property of becoming nearer in time; "the approach of winter" [syn: approach, approaching, coming]
8: a close approximation; "the nearest approach to genius"
9: a relatively short golf shot intended to put the ball onto the putting green; "he lost the hole when his approach rolled over the green" [syn: approach, approach shot] v
1: move towards; "We were approaching our destination"; "They are drawing near"; "The enemy army came nearer and nearer" [syn: approach, near, come on, go up, draw near, draw close, come near]
2: come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character; "This borders on discrimination!"; "His playing approaches that of Horowitz" [syn: border on, approach]
3: begin to deal with; "approach a task"; "go about a difficult problem"; "approach a new project" [syn: set about, go about, approach]
4: come near in time; "Winter is approaching"; "approaching old age" [syn: approach, come near]
5: make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion; "I was approached by the President to serve as his adviser in foreign matters"

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English approchen, from Anglo-French aprocher, from Late Latin appropiare, from Latin ad- + prope near; akin to Latin pro before — more at for Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. a. to draw closer to ; near <approach a destination> b. to come very near to ; be almost the same as <its mathematics approaches mysticism — Theodore Sturgeon> <as the quantity x approaches zero> 2. a. to make advances to especially in order to create a desired result <was approached by several Broadway producers> b. to take preliminary steps toward accomplishment or full knowledge or experience of <approach the subject with an open mind> intransitive verb 1. to draw nearer <the time is fast approaching> 2. to make an approach in golf II. noun Date: 15th century 1. a. an act or instance of approaching <the approach of summer> b. approximation <in this book he makes his closest approach to greatness> 2. a. the taking of preliminary steps toward a particular purpose <experimenting with new lines of approach> b. a particular manner of taking such steps <a highly individual approach to language> 3. a means of access ; avenue 4. a. a golf shot from the fairway toward the green b. the steps taken by a bowler before delivering the ball; also the part of the alley behind the foul line from which the bowler delivers the ball 5. the descent of an aircraft toward a landing place

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v. 1 tr. come near or nearer to (a place or time). 2 intr. come near or nearer in space or time (the hour approaches). 3 tr. make a tentative proposal or suggestion to (approached me about a loan). 4 tr. a be similar in character, quality, etc., to (doesn't approach her for artistic skill). b approximate to (a population approaching 5 million). 5 tr. attempt to influence or bribe. 6 tr. set about (a task etc.). 7 intr. Golf play an approach shot. 8 intr. Aeron. prepare to land. 9 tr. archaic bring near. --n. 1 an act or means of approaching (made an approach; an approach lined with trees). 2 an approximation (an approach to an apology). 3 a way of dealing with a person or thing (needs a new approach). 4 (usu. in pl.) a sexual advance. 5 Golf a stroke from the fairway to the green. 6 Aeron. the final part of a flight before landing. 7 Bridge a bidding method with a gradual advance to a final contract. Phrases and idioms: approach road Brit. a road by which traffic enters a motorway. Etymology: ME f. OF aproch(i)er f. eccl.L appropiare draw near (as AD-, propius compar. of prope near)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Approach Ap*proach", n. (Golf) A stroke whose object is to land the ball on the putting green. It is made with an iron club.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Approach Ap*proach", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Approached; p. pr. & vb. n. Approaching.] [OE. approchen, aprochen, OF. approcher, LL. appropriare, fr. L. ad + propiare to draw near, prope near.] 1. To come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to advance nearer. Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city? --2 Sam. xi. 20. But exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. --Heb. x. 25. 2. To draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to approximate; as, he approaches to the character of the ablest statesman.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Approach Ap*proach", v. t. 1. To bring near; to cause to draw near; to advance. [Archaic] --Boyle. 2. To come near to in place, time, or character; to draw nearer to; as, to approach the city; to approach my cabin; he approached the age of manhood. He was an admirable poet, and thought even to have approached Homer. --Temple. 3. (Mil.) To take approaches to.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Approach Ap*proach", n. [Cf. F. approche. See Approach, v. i.] 1. The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near. ``The approach of summer.'' --Horsley. A nearer approach to the human type. --Owen. 2. A access, or opportunity of drawing near. The approach to kings and principal persons. --Bacon. 3. pl. Movements to gain favor; advances. 4. A way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings can be approached; an access. --Macaulay. 5. pl. (Fort.) The advanced works, trenches, or covered roads made by besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or military post. 6. (Hort.) See Approaching.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(approaches, approaching, approached) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. When you approach something, you get closer to it. He didn't approach the front door at once... When I approached, they grew silent... We turned to see the approaching car slow down. VERB: V n, V, V-ing • Approach is also a noun. At their approach the little boy ran away and hid. ...the approach of a low-flying helicopter. N-COUNT: usu sing, with supp 2. An approach to a place is a road, path, or other route that leads to it. The path serves as an approach to the boat house. N-COUNT: usu N to n 3. If you approach someone about something, you speak to them about it for the first time, often making an offer or request. When Chappel approached me about the job, my first reaction was of disbelief... He approached me to create and design the restaurant... Anna approached several builders and was fortunate to come across Eddie. VERB: no cont, V n prep, V n to-inf, V n • Approach is also a noun. There had already been approaches from buyers interested in the whole of the group. N-COUNT: oft N from/to n 4. When you approach a task, problem, or situation in a particular way, you deal with it or think about it in that way. The Bank has approached the issue in a practical way... Employers are interested in how you approach problems. = tackle, address VERB: V n prep/adv, V n 5. Your approach to a task, problem, or situation is the way you deal with it or think about it. We will be exploring different approaches to gathering information. N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft N to -ing/n 6. As a future time or event approaches, it gradually gets nearer as time passes. As autumn approached, the plants and colours in the garden changed. ...the approaching crisis. VERB: V, V-ing • Approach is also a noun. ...the festive spirit that permeated the house with the approach of Christmas. N-SING: usu N of n 7. As you approach a future time or event, time passes so that you get gradually nearer to it. We approach the end of the year with the economy slowing and little sign of cheer. VERB: V n 8. If something approaches a particular level or state, it almost reaches that level or state. Oil prices have approached their highest level for almost ten years... VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. 1. Come, draw near, draw nigh, come near, be at hand. 2. [With to.] Approximate, come nearly up, be nearly equal. II. v. a. 1. Bring near, carry toward, advance, push forward. 2. Come or draw near or nigh (to), go near. 3. Broach (a subject) to, address confidentially, make overtures to. 4. Resemble closely, come very near to, be much like, almost equal. III. n. 1. Advance, advent, coming, drawing near. 2. Approximation, nearing, tendency, convergence. 3. [In pl.] Wily addresses, insidious overtures. 4. Entrance, way, adit, path. See access. 5. Access, admittance, admission.

Moby Thesaurus

MO, access, accomplish, accomplishment, accordance, accost, achieve, achievement, act on, address, adit, advance, advances, advent, advise, agreement, air lock, algorithm, alikeness, alliance, analogy, answer, anticipate, ape, aping, apostrophize, appeal to, appear, appear like, appearance, apply to, approaches, appropinquate, approximate, approximation, arise, arrangement, arrival, arrive, arrive at, arrive in, asking price, assay, assimilation, asymptote, attack, attain, attain to, attainment, attempt, attitude, await, be around, be destined, be fated, be imminent, be in store, be like, be near, be received, be redolent of, be to be, be to come, bear down on, bear down upon, bear resemblance, bear up, bear upon, beg, begin to, beseech, bespeak, bid, blind landing, blow in, blueprint, blueprinting, bob up, bottleneck, break the ice, brew, bribe, bring to mind, buttonhole, buy, buy off, calculation, call, call to, call to mind, call up, center, centralize, chance, charting, check in, clock in, close, close in, close up, close with, closeness, collision course, come, come along, come close, come closer, come forth, come forward, come in, come into being, come into existence, come near, come on, come to, come to hand, come together, come up, coming, coming in, communicate with, community, comparability, compare with, comparison, concenter, concentralization, concentralize, concentrate, concentration, conception, concourse, concurrence, confer, confines, confluence, conflux, conformity, confront, congress, consult, contact, contrivance, converge, convergence, converging, copy, copying, correspond, correspond to, correspondence, corridor, corrupt, counsel, counterfeit, course, court, crack, crop up, crossing, cultivate, design, device, disposition, draw, draw near, draw nigh, draw on, effort, encounter, endeavor, engage, enterprise, entrance, entranceway, entreat, entry, entryway, environs, envisagement, equal, essay, establish connection, evoke, exert influence, expect, experiment, face, fall in with, fashion, favor, feeler, fetch, fetch up at, figuring, find, fix, fling, focalization, focus, follow, foreground, foresee, foresight, foretell, forethought, form, forthcome, forthcoming, funnel, futurity, gain, gain upon, gambit, game, gangplank, gangway, gather, get at, get cozy with, get in, get there, get to, get warm, go, graphing, grease, grease the palm, greet, ground plan, guidelines, guise, hail, hall, halloo, hang over, hit, hit town, hope, hover, hub, idea, identity, imitate, imitation, immediacy, immediate foreground, immediate future, imminence, impend, impendence, impendency, implore, importune, in, ingress, inlet, intake, intention, interrogate, intersect, invitation, invoke, landing, layout, lead on, lick, lie ahead, lie over, lift a finger, likeness, likening, line, line of action, lines, lineup, lobby, lobby through, long-range plan, look for, look forward to, look like, loom, lower, magnetize, maintain connection, make, make a pass, make advances, make an attempt, make an effort, make an overture, make contact with, make it, make overtures, make up to, manner, manner of working, mapping, master plan, match, materialize, means, means of access, meet, meeting, memorialize, menace, metaphor, method, methodology, mimic, mimicking, mirror, mode, mode of operation, mode of procedure, modus operandi, move, movement, mutual approach, narrow the gap, narrowing gap, near, near future, nearly reproduce, nearness, negotiate, neighborhood, nigh, nighness, nip, not tell apart, offer, offering, opening, operations research, order, organization, overhang, overture, overtures, parallel, parallelism, parity, parley, partake of, passage, passageway, path, pay addresses to, pay court to, pay off, pinch, plan, planning, planning function, play up to, plead, plot, pop up, practice, prearrangement, precinct, predict, preliminary approach, present itself, presentation, procedure, proceeding, process, proffer, program, program of action, project, prophesy, propinquity, proposals, propose to, proposition, propositions, proximate, proximity, pull in, pull strings, punch in, purchase, purlieus, question, radius, raise, rationalization, reach, reaching, relate to, remind one of, reply to, resemblance, resemble, respond to, ring in, rival, roll in, routine, run after, run together, salute, sameness, savor of, schedule, schema, schematism, schematization, scheme, scheme of arrangement, seem like, semblance, setup, shine up to, shot, show up, sidle up to, sign in, similarity, simile, similitude, simulate, simulation, smack of, solicit, sound like, sound out, speak, speak fair, speak to, spokes, spring up, stab, stack up, stack up with, step, step up, strategic plan, strategy, stroke, strong bid, style, submission, suborn, suggest, supplicate, system, systematization, tack, tactical plan, tactics, take after, take aside, take care of, talk to, tamper with, tangent, taper, technique, tentative, tentative approach, the big picture, the drill, the how, the picture, the way of, threaten, throw a pass, tickle the palm, time in, tone, touch, touchdown, trench, trial, trial and error, try, turn up, undertake, undertaking, unite, venture, venture on, venture upon, verge, vestibule, vicinage, vicinity, way, way in, whack, wire-pull, wise, work on, working plan