▪ I. approach, v.
(əˈprəʊtʃ)
Forms: 4 aprochi, 4–6 aproch(e, 5–7 approch(e, 7– approach.
[a. OFr. aprochie-r (mod. approcher), cogn. w. OIt. approcciāre, Pr. apropchar, early Rom. *adpropjāre:—late L. adpropi-āre (Vulgate), f. ad to + propi-āre to draw near, f. propi-us (Pr. propi, Fr. proche, for propche, propj) nigher, near, compar. of prope nigh. For app-, see ap- prefix1. About 1600 the phonetic oa was introduced for ō.]
1. intr. To come nearer (relatively), or draw near (absolutely), in space. a. simply.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. i. 6 Sche sauȝ þese poetical muses aprochen aboute my bedde. c 1400 Destr. Troy iv. 1276 Þan pollux aprochet in hast. 1557 Phaër æneid vi. Q iv, Whom the Troyan duke had found, Approching nere. 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. ii. 170 Approach, thou Beacon to this vnder Globe, That by thy comfortable Beames I may Peruse this Letter. 1627 Speed Eng. Abridged xxx. §8 A Spittle for Lazers, a disease then newly approched in this Land. 1795 Southey Joan of Arc i. 20 At his bidding Claude Approach'd. 1863 Mrs. Oliphant Sal. Ch. xvii. 301 A footstep outside approaching softly. |
b. with to. arch.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 1781 To þe palays pryncipal þay aproched. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 805 Hire ship approched to the londe. 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 152 The cruell wightes..Approched to the doore. 1611 Bible 2 Sam. xi. 20 Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city? 1860 Tyndall Glaciers i. §17 Masses sufficiently large approached near to the shore. |
2. a. trans. To come near to.
| c 1305 St. Lucy 118 in E.E.P. (1862) 104 Þat a þousend men scholde in mi side falle..and me aprochi noȝt. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 282, I approche..The place, where my lady is. 1605 Shakes. Macb. ii. iii. 76 Approch the Chamber. 1847 J. Yeowell Anc. Brit. Ch. iii. 28 When he came to Rome..he evidently approached it from the East. |
b. fig. with reference to a place in the field of conception. intr. and trans.
| a 1577 Gascoigne Str. Passion (R.) I thinke How ioyes approch, when sorrowes shrinke. 1777 Priestley Matt. & Spir. xx. (1782) I. 254 As we approach nearer the age of the schoolmen. 1867 Macfarren Harmony ii. 35 And so approach the fundamental..harmonic school by the path of history. |
3. trans. Said of lines or things in a line: To be so situated in space that the parts lie successively nearer to a given point or line (which a body moving along the line in question would therefore approach, in sense 2). rarely intr.
| 1598 Florio, Approssimare, to approch, to neighbour. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 477 ¶1 Trees rising one higher than another in proportion as they approach the centre. 1748 Hartley Observ. Man i. i. §1 ¶7 The Ventricles of the Brain approach towards each other. 1751 Chambers Cycl., Asymptote, a line which continually approaches nearer and nearer to another, yet will never meet therewith, tho' indefinitely prolonged. Mod. At this point the boundary approaches, but does not quite reach the river. |
4. To come near to a person: i.e. into personal relations; into his presence or audience; or fig. within the range of his notice or attention. a. intr. with to. arch.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 7 Renkeȝ of relygioun þat.. aprochen to hys presens. c 1400 Destr. Troy xix. 7998 He approchet to þe prinse. 1611 Bible Isa. lviii. 2 They take delight in approching to God. 1794 Mathias Pursuits Lit. (1798) 381 To the Peers approach with awe. |
b. trans. Also, fig. to make an overture or proposal to; to seek for an interview; to make advances to (a person) with a view to influencing his actions; to attempt to influence or bribe.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 147 So prest to aproche my presens. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 288 He..goth to approche The kinges court and his presence. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. v. 65 When thou dost heare I am, as I haue bin, Approach me. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 118 ¶1, I cannot approach her without Awe. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xvii, The Earl was approached..by a person quaintly dressed. 1857 Lawrence (Kansas) Republican 30 July 2 An editor of this place had approached him..offering inducements to him to become an organ under it. 1893 Congress. Rec. Sept. 1874/1 Nearly every bit of everything that is said about public men being corrupted or approached is false. 1929 Daily News 10 Apr. 7/3 When the ‘Daily News’ approached the Admiralty on the subject an official said [etc.]. |
5. euphem. Of sexual relations. (intr. and trans.)
| 1611 Bible Lev. xviii. 6 None of you shall approche to any that is neere of kinne to him. 1798 Colebrooke Digest Hind. Law (1801) III. 196 If either brother..approach the wife, he is degraded. |
† 6. To embrace or take up with (a habit). Obs.
| 1574 Hellowes Gueuara's Epist. (1577) 15 Shunne euil, and approch to do wel. |
7. intr. Of time or events: To draw nigh.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 1 Aprochen gan the fatel destyne. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xviii. 209 Þe tyme aprocheþ faste. 1599 Thynne Animadv. 51 When deathe approched. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 195 When now the Nuptial time Approaches. a 1732 Gay (J.) The hour of attack approaches. |
8. To come near in quality, character, or state; to be nearly equal. a. intr. with to.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy ii. 401 No filisofers..Might approche to þat precious apoint of her wit. 1538 Starkey England 21 Man so dowyng neryst approchyth to the nature of God. 1756 Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. Wks. I. 36 We judge..of them as they approach to, or recede from this standard. 1871 B. Stewart Heat §66 The coefficients of dilation..approach more nearly to equality. |
b. trans.
| a 1698 Temple (J.) He was an admirable poet, and thought even to have approached Homer. 1824 Dibdin Libr. Comp. 187 That copy..more decidedly approached such a form. |
| 1872 Freeman Norm. Conq. IV. xviii. 143 Vigorous youths fast approaching manhood. |
9. Mil. To make ‘approaches’ to; to work forward towards, by means of entrenchments. See approach n. 9.
| 1598 Barret Theor. Warres v. i. 127 To aproach neare vnto the walles, with trenches, or such like aprochings. a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. (1703) II. vii. 228 The ground was very easy to Approach, and as inconvenient, and dangerous to Storm. 1861 Sheppard Fall of Rome vi. 339 The town..had to be approached in regular form. |
10. causal. To bring near locally, to move or draw nearer; approximate. (Common in mod.Fr.) arch.
| 1541 R. Copland Galyen's Terap. 2 D j, Yf thou assay to approche them [the lips of an ulcer] by force. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. i. vi. 87 All those changes..shall serve to approach him the faster to the blest mansion. 1795 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) IV. 114, I..should have been tempted to approach myself to it. 1821 Scott Kenilw. x. (1853) 107 So saying, he approached to the fire a three-footed stool. |
11. fig. To bring near in character, quality, rank.
| a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Wks. 1711, 226 In matter, none approach him [Petrarch] to Sidney. 1850 Merivale Rom. Emp. (1865) II. xiii. 103 His object was..to approach the Gaulish provincials to Rome. 1863 Ld. Lytton Ring of Amasis I. 148 Forced these images into the foreground of Fancy, thus approaching them nearer to reality. |
12. Golf. intr. To play the approach stroke.
| 1887 W. G. Simpson Golf viii. 140 When the player's ball is within less than a driver shot of the hole, approaching commences. 1898 ‘House’ on Sport I (Advt.), Auchterlonie's special registered approaching cleek kept in stock. 1903 Westm. Gaz. 9 Jan. 2/1 Mr. Laidlay used to approach better than any other man I have ever seen play. |
13. Aeronaut. Of an aircraft or pilot, to make an approach (see approach n. 13).
| 1927 Aviation XXII. 1080/2 Upon approaching an airdrome at night, the pilot is interested in the limits of the landing area. 1950 Gloss. Aeronaut. Terms (B.S.I.) i. 8 Approach, to manœuvre an aircraft into position relative to the landing area for flattening-out and alighting. |
▪ II. approach, n.
(əˈprəʊtʃ)
[f. prec. vb.; cf. mod.Fr. approche, 16th c. in Littré.]
1. The act of coming nearer (relatively), or of drawing near (absolutely), in space.
| c 1555 R. Morice in Strype Eccl. Mem. III. i. xxviii. 233 The Bishop..entered into the University church..whose approach being honorable, Latymer..surceased from farther speaking. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. ii. i. 81 Nauar had notice of your faire approach. 1696 Whiston Th. Earth ii. (1722) 180 The approach of a Comet to the Earth. 1736 Butler Anal. i. ii. 52 The destruction of our bodies..upon too near approaches to fire. 1859 Geo. Eliot A. Bede 9 Casson's thoughts were diverted by the approach of the horseman. |
† 2. Nearer advance of an enemy; offensive or hostile movement. Obs.
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of Armes i. xxv. 80 Or euer thou make eny approche vpon thin enemies. 1607 Shakes. Timon v. i. 167 So soone we shall driue backe Of Alcibiades th' approaches wild. 1652 Needham tr. Selden's Mare Cl. 229 Intercept the provision and supplies of their Enemies Shipping, and by diligent watchfulness discover their approaches. |
3. a. pl. Movements towards the establishment of personal relations with one; advances.
| 1642 Rogers Naaman 22 Thy timorous and weake approaches toward his grace. 1654 Gayton Fest. Notes iii. vi. 109 What Approaches, Smiles, Shrugs, Habits, are..requirable from them! 1678 H. Vaughan Thal. Rediv. (1858) 234, I note their coarse and proud approaches, Their silks, perfumes, and glittering coaches. 1681 Baxter Apol. Nonconf. Min. 4 Concessions and approaches. 1805 Foster Ess. i. ii. 24 Repel the approaches of sleep. |
b. Advances made to a person for the purpose of improperly influencing his actions. U.S.
| 1893 Congress. Rec. Sept. 1874/1 The idea that..[Mr. Hooper] was subject to approach is ridiculous. |
4. Power of approaching, access. arch.
| 1563 Grafton Chron. Mary an. 3 (R.) The French men had the more easie approche to the castell. a 1626 Bacon (J.) Honour hath in it..the approach to kings and principal persons. 1713 Swift Caden. & Van. Wks. 1755 III. ii. 17 The learned met with free approach. 1726 Gay Fables i. xvi. 15 Rais'd again from low approach, She visits in the doctor's coach. |
5. a. A means or way of approach; an access, passage, avenue. Also fig.
| 1633 G. Herbert Dulnesse v. in Temple 108 Where are my lines then? my approaches? views? 1790 Cowper Odyss. vii. 109 Mastiffs in gold and silver lined the approach. 1878 F. Williams Mid. Railw. 344 In the station and its approaches some 60,000,000 of bricks..have been employed. |
b. fig. A way of considering or handling something, esp. a problem.
| 1905 R. B. Perry Approach to Philos. 1 (heading) Approach to the problem of philosophy. 1916 A. W. Shaw Approach to Business Prob. p. v To discover a classification molded on the living activities of business, to supply a uniform method of approach to business problems in whatever form they may arise, and to illustrate the application of this method to typical problems..these are the purposes of this book. 1937 R. Lambert (title) Approach to love. 1950 Times 5 May 4/3 The authorities have the matter under consideration, but their approach to the problem is coloured by their anxiety to help Britain to earn dollars by finding markets in Canada. 1969 Mod. Lang. Rev. LXIV. 876 The typological approach..does not preclude other methods of interpreting Milton's symbolism. 1986 N.Y. Times 7 May a10/4 We reaffirm the continued importance of the case-by-case approach to international debt problems. |
6. A drawing near in time or circumstantial relation.
| 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. iii. 6 Where death's approach is seene so terrible. 1659 Hammond On Ps. Pref. 21 At their next approaches to that part of the office. 1704 Pope Autumn 97 Thus sung the shepherds till th' approach of night. 1878 Seeley Stein III. 375 Signs of the approach of an intense reaction in Prussia. |
7. A coming near in quality, or character; approximation.
| 1750 Johnson Rambl. No. 81 §1 Questions..discussed without any approach to decision. 1756 Burke Subl. & B. I. 166 Some sort of approach towards infinity. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 204 A type of cities to which England..can present but feeble approaches. 1881 Guillemard Let. in Life Maxwell xiii. (1882) 414, I never..heard an approach to a murmur. |
† 8. A drawing near in reckoning; an approximation. Obs.
| 1672 Petty Pol. Anat. (1691) 51 By the best Estimates and Approaches that I have been able to make..London is more healthful than Dublin by 3 in 32. |
9. a. Mil. in pl. Entrenchments or other works whereby the besiegers draw closer to the besieged.
| 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. xvi. (1821) 387 That..wee might the better make our neerer Approaches. 1710 Lond. Gaz. mmmmdclxxxvii/2 We have advanced our Approaches to the first Ditch. 1834 Penny Cycl. II. 195/2 These approaches sometimes consist of covering masses only, formed either with earth in bags, with fascines, stuffed gabions, wool-packs, or bales of cotton. |
b. fig.
| 1847 Tennyson Princ. iii. 267 Oh if our end were less achievable By slow approaches. 1869 Goulburn Purs. Holiness vi. 52 Approaches must be thrown up by prayers and fastings. |
10. Hort. The bringing of the branch of one tree close to that of another on which it is to be grafted, in the method called ablactation or inarching.
| 1658 Evelyn Fr. Gard. (1675) 87 Either inoculate or graff them by approach. 1727 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Grafting, All Pear-trees may be grafted by Way of Escutcheon, Slit, Crown, or Approach. 1838 Penny Cycl. XI. 342/2 Inarching..is sometimes called grafting by approach. |
11. Golf. The play or stroke by which a player hits his ball on to the putting-green or approaches the hole; chiefly attrib., as approach play, approach shot, approach stroke.
| 1879 Encycl. Brit. X. 765/2 Having got within some moderate distance of it [sc. a hole], he proceeds to make his ‘approach shot’. Ibid., The ‘approach’ and the ‘putting’ are by far the most difficult..parts of the game. 1887 W. G. Simpson Golf viii. 155 There are four clubs used for ordinary approach work—the putter, the cleek, the iron, and the mashy. 1903 Westm. Gaz. 10 Mar. 2/3 Plenty of opportunities still will be afforded for approach strokes. Ibid., Approach play is not to be considered in laying out a hole. 1919 Wodehouse Damsel in Distress i. 23 Does it [sc. love] make you slice your approach-shots? Ibid. xv. 173 His approach-putting has to be seen to be believed. |
12. Bridge. Denoting a type of bidding (see quots.). Usu. attrib., as approach bid, approach bidding; approach(-forcing) system, etc.
| 1929 Bridge World Nov. 14/1 The Approach System at Auction, also introduced by the Culbertsons, practically revolutionized bidding methods. 1930 E. Culbertson Contract Bridge Blue Book vi. 89 Whenever a hand contains a biddable suit..the suit and not the no-trump should be preferred. (The Approach principle.) 1930 A. E. M. Foster Contract Bridge for All i. 7 You read of approach bids. Ibid. 11 The idea in approach bidding is..to decide on the final declaration after the reaction of partner and opponents has been discovered. 1931 J. H. Reford Contract up-to-date i. 34 The system advocated in this book embodies..the approach-forcing system. |
13. Aeronaut. The final stage in flight before landing; also, the air space through which the approach is made. Also attrib.
| 1930 Airway Age XI. 381/1 In addition to..green and white boundary and approach lights, each hangar is equipped with obstacle and flood lights. 1931 Flight 6 Feb. 121/2 An approach which ended in the aircraft reaching the after limits of the deck too low..resulted in the undercarriage being severely damaged. 1931 P. V. H. Weems Air Navigation ix. 129 Landing field approach lights are green lights in the boundary lighting circuit at the end of runways. 1933 Bur. of Standards Jrnl. of Research XI. 485 The compass bearing is followed until after hearing the signals from the approach marker beacon. 1940 War Illustr. 19 Jan. 620 With wheels and landing flaps lowered the pilot makes his approach. 1944 Jrnl. R. Aeronaut. Soc. XLVIII. 285 The best approach speed, flaps and undercarriage down, is about 95 m.p.h. 1948 Daily Tel. 23 June 4/6 Radar navigational and approach aids could be standardized by international companies. 1951 Gloss. Aeronaut. Terms (B.S.I.) iii. 22 Approach, the air space over an approach area. 1958 Times 24 Oct. 5/3 (caption) Testing..the new precision approach radar (talk-down) equipment installed in the Approach control room at London Airport. |
14. attrib., as approach island (see island n. 2 c), approach road (cf. access 7 a), approach span.
| 1958 Times 24 June 5/5 A motor cycle..came into collision with the kerb of an approach island. |
| 1833 Loudon Encycl. Archit. 463 The approach-road to the house. 1962 Listener 7 June 989/1 The control of large motor-coaches on the very narrow approach-roads to the moor. |
| 1924 Times Trade & Engin. Suppl. 29 Nov. 252/3 The bridge..will be carried on five main piers and built in four arch and two approach spans. |