APPROACH
approach, approaching, coming
(noun) the act of drawing spatially closer to something; “the hunter’s approach scattered the geese”
approach, approach shot
(noun) 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”
approach, attack, plan of attack
(noun) 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”
access, approach
(noun) a way of entering or leaving; “he took a wrong turn on the access to the bridge”
approach
(noun) a close approximation; “the nearest approach to genius”
approach, approaching, coming
(noun) the temporal property of becoming nearer in time; “the approach of winter”
overture, advance, approach, feeler
(noun) a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others; “she rejected his advances”
approach, approaching
(noun) the event of one object coming closer to another
approach
(verb) make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion; “I was approached by the President to serve as his adviser in foreign matters”
approach, come near
(verb) come near in time; “Winter is approaching”; “approaching old age”
approach, near, come on, go up, draw near, draw close, come near
(verb) move towards; “We were approaching our destination”; “They are drawing near”; “The enemy army came nearer and nearer”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
approach (third-person singular simple present approaches, present participle approaching, simple past and past participle approached)
(intransitive) To come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to advance nearer.
(intransitive, figuratively) To draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to approximate.
(transitive) To come near to in place, time, character, or value; to draw nearer to.
limit , or, .
To make an attempt at (solving a problem or making a policy).
To speak to, as to make a request or ask a question.
(transitive, military) To take approaches to.
To bring near; to cause to draw near.
Noun
approach (plural approaches)
The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near.
An access, or opportunity of drawing near.
(in plural) Movements to gain favor; advances.
A way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings can be approached; an access.
A manner in which a problem is solved or policy is made.
(golf, tennis) An approach shot.
The way an aircraft comes in to land at an airport.
(bowling) The area before the lane, in which a player may stand or run up before bowling the ball.
Source: Wiktionary
Ap*proach", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Approached; p. pr. & vb. n.
Approaching.] Etym: [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.
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.)
Definition: To take approaches to.
Ap*proach", n. Etym: [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.
Definition: 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.)
Definition: The advanced works, trenches, or covered roads made by
besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or military post.
6. (Hort.)
Definition: See Approaching.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition