approach

UK /əˈpɹəʊt͡ʃ/US /əˈpɹoʊt͡ʃ/

noun 10
verb 11
forms 7
phrases 1

noun10

•
An act of drawing near in place or time; an advancing or coming near.
- Ah, what a signe it is of euill life, Where death's approach is seene so terrible. — 1591
a way of working on a problem or of making a plan
•
[before a noun] The way an aircraft comes in to land at an airport.
- Most small airplanes maintain a speed well in excess of 1.3 times V_(SO) on an instrument approach. An airplane with a stall speed of 50 knots (V_(SO)) has a normal approach speed of 65 knots. — 2001
•
An avenue, passage, or way by which a building or place can be approached; an access.
- Where are my lines then? my approaches? views? Where are my window-songs? — 1633
A path taken to reach the climbing area, for example, from a car park, road, etc.
An act of coming near in character or value; an approximation.
•
[before a noun] A specific procedure used for approaching and landing at an airport.
- We flew the RNAV/GPS A approach to runway 16.
Ellipsis of approach shot.
The area before the lane in which a bowler may stand or run up before bowling the ball.
•
(no longer used) An opportunity of drawing near; access.
- Honour hath three Things in it: The Vantage Ground to doe Good: The approach to Kings and principall Persons: And the Raising of a Mans owne Fortunes. — 1625

verb11

•
To come or go near, in place or time; to move toward; to advance nearer; to draw nigh.
- She approached the door cautiously.
- We were approached by a stranger asking for directions.
•
To move toward (someone or something) in place, time, character, or value; to draw nearer to.
- “Would counsel please approach the bench?” asked the judge.
- He approached the age of manhood.
Used when defining limits, preceded by as: To become arbitrarily close to some value, be it a number, vector or infinity and have an effect on another value.
To take approaches to (a place); to move towards (a place) by using covered roads, trenches, or other works.
•
(figurative) Used intransitively, followed by to: to draw near (to someone or something); to make advances; to approximate or become almost equal.
- He approaches to the character of the ablest statesman.
•
To attempt to make (a policy) or solve (a problem).
- Mr. Moonlight Quill, mysterious, exotic, and oriental in temperament was, nevertheless, a man of decision. And it was with decision that he approached the problem of his wrecked shop. — 1922
To bring up or propose to (someone) an idea, question, request, etc.
•
To bring (something) near something else; to cause (something) to draw near.
- "My story is not long," said the artist; "but your honour had better sit while you listen to it." So saying, he approached to the fire a three-footed stool, and took another himself, […] — 1821
•
(rare) Of an immovable object or a number of such objects: to be positioned as to (notionally) appear to be moving towards (a place).
- As we drove along the driveway, the trees approaching the house seemed more eerie.
To play an approach shot.
•
(euphemistic, no longer used) To have sexual intercourse with (someone).
- None of you shall approche to any that is neere of kinne to him, to vncouer their nakednesse: I am the Lord. — 1611

forms

approached · approacht · approaching · approaches · approacheth · approachest · approachen

Phrases with approach

shotgun approach
An approach in which the subject is indiscriminate and haphazard, using breadth, spread, or quantity in lieu of accuracy, planning, etc.