nearing

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
near/nɪə(r)/

▶adverb

• 1 at or to a short distance away.

• 2 a short time away in the future.

• 3 almost.

▶preposition (also near to)

• 1 at or to a short distance away from (a place).

• 2 a short period of time from.

• 3 almost.

• 4 similar to.

▶adjective

• 1 located a short distance away.

• 2 only a short time ahead.

• 3 similar.

  ■ close to being (the thing mentioned).

  ■ having a close family connection.

• 4 located on the nearside of a vehicle. Compare with off (sense 3 of the adjective).

• 5 archaic mean; miserly.

▶verb approach.

– derivatives
nearish adjective,
nearness noun.

– origin ME: from ON nær ‘nearer’, compar. of ná, corresp. to OE nēah ‘nigh’.