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approach

To approach is to get near something. An airplane is cleared for a final approach just as the wheels approach the landing strip.

Approach comes from the Latin word appropriare which means "go nearer to." You can physically approach something, like a waiter going to a table. Or, you can approach a subject, usually one you're a little nervous about — like a new employee might approach her boss about getting a raise. Time can also approach, like winter, midnight, or even old age.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: approach

1
 vn
move towards
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
2
 vn
come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character
a close approximation
3
 vn
begin to deal with
ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation
4
 vn
come near in time
the temporal property of becoming nearer in time
FULL DEFINITIONS OF: approach
1

v move towards

“We were approaching our destination”
Synonyms:
come near, come on, draw close, draw near, go up, near
come near
come near in time
Types:
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drive up
approach while driving
bear down on, bear down upon
sail towards another vessel, of a ship
edge in, edge up
push one's way into (a space)
close
draw near
crowd, push
approach a certain age or speed
Type of:
come, come up
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

v make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion

“I was approached by the President to serve as his adviser in foreign matters”
Types:
hit
pay unsolicited and usually unwanted sexual attention to
Type of:
accost, address, come up to
speak to someone

n the act of drawing spatially closer to something

“the hunter's approach scattered the geese”
Synonyms:
approaching, coming
Types:
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access
the act of approaching or entering
closing, closure
approaching a particular destination; a coming closer; a narrowing of a gap
landing approach
the approach to a landing field by an airplane
run-up
the approach run during which an athlete gathers speed
back door, backdoor
a secret or underhand means of access (to a place or a position)
go-around, overshoot, wave-off
an approach that fails and gives way to another attempt
Type of:
motion, move, movement
the act of changing location from one place to another

n the event of one object coming closer to another

Synonyms:
approaching
Type of:
motion, movement
a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something

n a way of entering or leaving

Synonyms:
access
Types:
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entrance, entranceway, entree, entry, entryway
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
arch, archway
a passageway under a curved masonry construction
door, doorway, room access, threshold
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
gateway
an entrance that can be closed by a gate
hatchway, opening, scuttle
an entrance equipped with a hatch; especially a passageway between decks of a ship
pithead
the entrance to a coal mine
portal
a grand and imposing entrance (often extended metaphorically)
porte-cochere
a carriage entrance passing through a building to an enclosed courtyard
servant's entrance, service door, service entrance
an entrance intended for the use of servants or for delivery of goods and removal of refuse
stage door
an entrance to the backstage area of theater; used by performers and other theater personnel
vomitory
an entrance to an amphitheater or stadium
Type of:
way
any artifact consisting of a road or path affording passage from one place to another

n the final path followed by an aircraft as it is landing

Synonyms:
approach path, glide path, glide slope
Type of:
air lane, airway, flight path, skyway
a designated route followed by airplanes in flying from one airport to another

n 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”
Synonyms:
approach shot
Types:
chip, chip shot
(golf) a low running approach shot
pitch, pitch shot
a high approach shot in golf
Type of:
golf shot, golf stroke, swing
the act of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and (usually) hitting it
2

v come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character

“His playing approaches that of Horowitz”
Synonyms:
border on
Types:
converge
approach a limit as the number of terms increases without limit
Type of:
approximate, come close
be close or similar

n a close approximation

“the nearest approach to genius”
Type of:
similarity
the quality of being similar
3

v begin to deal with

“approach a task”
“approach a new project”
Synonyms:
go about, set about
Types:
confront, face, face up
deal with (something unpleasant) head on
tackle, take on, undertake
accept as a challenge
Type of:
act, move
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

n 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”
Synonyms:
attack, plan of attack
Types:
avenue
a line of approach
Type of:
conceptualisation, conceptualization, formulation
inventing or contriving an idea or explanation and formulating it mentally

n a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others

Synonyms:
advance, feeler, overture
Type of:
proffer, proposition, suggestion
a proposal offered for acceptance or rejection
4

v come near in time

“Winter is approaching”
“approaching old age”
Synonyms:
come near
come near, come on, draw close, draw near, go up, near
move towards
Types:
get on
grow late or (of time) elapse
Type of:
come, come up
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

n the temporal property of becoming nearer in time

“the approach of winter”
Synonyms:
approaching, coming
Type of:
timing
the time when something happens
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