Nearer Nearest Close Sitting Preposition Bre Nɪə(R Nɪr

• do you live near here?
• go and sit nearer (to) the fire.
• when is your next appointment?
• turn left at the next traffic lights.

near

1. at a short distance away from somebody/something
• Do you live near here?
• Go and sit nearer (to) the fire.
• When is your next appointment?
• Turn left at the next traffic lights.
• Who’s next?
• Where’s the nearest supermarket?
• Janet’s sitting nearest to the window (= of all the people in the room).
• Sarah’s sitting next to the window (= right beside it).
• Who’s sitting nearest the door?
2. a short period of time from something
• My birthday is very near Christmas.
• I’ll think about it nearer (to) the time(= when it is just going to happen).
3. used before a number to mean ‘approximately’, ‘just below or above’
• Share prices are near their record high of last year.
• Profits fell from $11 million to nearer $8 million.
4. similar to somebody/something in quality, size, etc.
• Nobody else comes near her in intellect.
• He's nearer 70 than 60.
• This colour is nearest (to) the original.
5. close to a particular state
• a state near (to) death
• She was near to tears (= almost crying).
• We came near to being killed.
6. close to you in time or distance
• Help was at hand.
• The property is ideally located with all local amenities close at hand.
7. to be fairly accurate in a guess, statement, etc.
• Such guesses are thought to be close to the mark.
• ‘The Times’ was nearer the mark when it said…
8. having a lot of importance and interest for somebody

Word Origin

• Middle English: from Old Norse nær ‘nearer’, comparative of ná, corresponding to Old English nēah ‘nigh’.