/nɪə(r); nɪr/
adj (-er / 5nIErE(r); `nIrL/ -est / 5nIErIst;`nIrIst/) ~ (to sb/sth)
1 [usu pred except nearest 通常作表语, 仅nearest例外] within a short distance or time from sb/sth; not far (from sb/sth) 与某人[某事物]距离或时间近; （距某人[某事物]）不远
*His flat's very near. 他的公寓就在附近.
* Where's the nearest bus-stop? 最近的公共汽车站在哪儿?
* The supermarket is very near (to) the station. 超级市场离车站很近.
* We hope to move to the country in the near future, ie very soon. 我们希望最近搬到乡村去住.
* 4.15 is too near to the time of departure. 4点15分离分别的时间太近了.
2 closely related 关系近的; 关系密切的
*a near relation/relative 血统关系近的人
* The nearest member of my family still alive is a rather distant cousin. 我家在世的近亲是我的远房堂兄.
3 [pred except nearest 作表语, 仅nearest例外] similar 近似; 相似
*We don't have that colour in stock this is the nearest. 我们的现货中没有那种颜色--这是最近似的.
* This copy is nearer the original than the others I've seen. 这个副本比我见到的其他副本更接近原版. =>Usage at next1 用法见next1.
4 = nearside (near).
5 (idm 习语) close/dear/near to sb's heart => heart. a close/near thing => thing. close/near to home => home1. one's ,nearest and `dearest (joc 谑) one's close family 亲人
*I always spend Christmas with my nearest and dearest. 我总是和亲人一起过圣诞节. or ,near(est) `offer (abbr 缩写 ono) or an amount that is less than the specified price but more than other offers 或略低于此价; 可还价
*I'll accept
350 for the car, or nearest offer. 我的汽车卖350英镑, 可还价. a ,near `miss
(a) bomb, shot, etc that lands near the target but not quite on it 炸弹、炮弹等接近目标, 但未命中.
(b) situation where one just avoids, or escapes from, some mishap 幸免
*Luckily the van ahead of us skidded off the road on our left, but it was a very near miss. 我们前面的客货车滑出我们左边的路, 侥幸没撞上.

v [I, Tn] come closer to (sth) in space or time; approach （在空间或时间上）更接近（某事物）; 接近; 靠近
*The day is nearing when we'll have to decide. 我们必须做出决定的日子即将来临.
* The job is at last nearing completion. 这项工作终于快要完成了.
* The ship was nearing land. 船已接近陆地.
* The old man was nearing his end. 那老人大限已到.

NOTE ON USAGE 用法
*Compare near, nearby and near by. 试比较near、nearby、near by. *Only nearhas a comparative and superlative form and can relate to time as well as space. 只有near有比较级和最高级形式, 且可指时间和空间.
1 Both near and nearby are adjectives. *near和nearby都是形容词. Nearby, not near, is used attributively when space, not time, is referred to 若指空间, 非时间, 要用nearby修饰, 不可用near
*the near future 不久的将来
* Those shops are nearer/the nearest. 那些商店离得更近[最近].
* a nearby village 附近的村子.
2 Both near and near by can be used adverbially. *near和near by都可用作状语. Near by sometimes modifies the whole sentence *near by有时可修饰整个句子
*Do you live near/near by? 你住在附近吗?
* My exams are getting nearer. 我不久就要考试了.
* Near by, the cars could be heard speeding past on the motorway. 在附近可以听到汽车从高速公路上疾驶而过的声音.
3 Near (to) is a preposition *near (to)是介词
*Is there a cinema near here? 附近有电影院吗?

/nɪə(r); nɪr/
prep
1 with only a short distance or time between （距离或时间）接近, 靠近
*Bradford is near Leeds. 布拉福靠近利兹.
* Don't sit near the door. 别坐在门口儿.
* My birthday is very near Christmas. 我的生日离圣诞节很近.
2 (idm 习语) be, come, etc near to sth/doing sth almost experience, reach or do sth 几乎; 差点儿
*I came near to screaming. 我险些喊叫起来.
* She was near to tears, ie almost crying. 她差点儿就哭了.
* He felt near to death. 他觉得快要死了.

adv
1 at a short distance away; near by 在近处; 在附近
*We found some shops quite near. 我们发现附近有几个商店.
* Are you all sitting near enough to see the screen? 你们都坐得离屏幕够近吗?
2 (idm 习语) as near as as accurately as 达到...的准确程度
*There were about
500 people there, as near as I could judge. 那里有500人, 依我看有这么多. as ,near as `dammit; as ,near as ,makes no `difference (infml 口) an amount, a measurement, etc that is not significantly more or less 相差无几
*It's going to cost
200 or as near as dammit. 这要花200英镑上下.
* It's
500 miles from here, or as near as makes no difference. 离这儿有500英里, 差也差不多. far and near/wide => far2. not anywhere/nowhere `near certainly not; far from 绝无; 肯定不; 离得远; 差得远
*The hall was nowhere near full. 那大厅远未满座.
* I've nowhere near enough for the fare. 我的钱肯定不够买车票的.
* There wasn't anywhere near enough to eat and drink. 离吃饱喝足还远呢.
* It's nowhere near the colour I'm looking for. 这种颜色跟我找的那种差远了. so ,near and ,yet so `far (used to comment on an attempt that was nearly successful but failed finally 用以评论几近成功却终于失败的尝试)功亏一篑.