5. So as barely to avoid or pass injury or loss; close; narrow; as, a near escape.
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, a.
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; dear.
NEAR
Near, prep.
Defn: Adjacent to; close by; not far from; nigh; as, the ship sailed near the land. See the Note under near, a.
NEAR
Near, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Neared; p. pr. & vb. n Nearing.] Etym: [See
Near, adv.]
Defn: To approach; to come nearer; as, the ship neared the land.