nearest
['niərist]
(near)

1. Britain's nearest neighbour is France.
   英邻。
2. Can you tell me the nearest way to the railway station?
   告去火路吗？

nearest
[ adv ]
(superlative of `near' or `close') within the shortest distance
<adv.all>
that was the time he came nearest to death



Near \Near\, a. [Compar. {Nearer}; superl. {Nearest}.] [See
{Near}, adv.]
1. Not far distant in time, place, or degree; not remote;
close at hand; adjacent; neighboring; nigh. ``As one near
death.'' --Shak.

He served great Hector, and was ever near,
Not with his trumpet only, but his spear. --Dryden.

2. Closely connected or related.

She is thy father's near kinswoman. --Lev. xviii.
12.

3. Close to one's interests, affection, etc.; touching, or
affecting intimately; intimate; dear; as, a near friend.

4. Close to anything followed or imitated; not free, loose,
or rambling; as, a version near to the original.

5. So as barely to avoid or pass injury or loss; close;
narrow[3]; as, a near escape; a near miss.

6. Next to the driver, when he is on foot; in the Unted
States, on the left of an animal or a team; as, the near
ox; the near leg. See {Off side}, under {Off}, a.

7. Immediate; direct; close; short. ``The nearest way.''
--Milton.

8. Close-fisted; parsimonious. [Obs. or Low, Eng.]

Note: Near may properly be followed by to before the thing
approached; but more frequently to is omitted, and the
adjective or the adverb is regarded as a preposition.
The same is also true of the word nigh.

Syn: Nigh; close; adjacent; proximate; contiguous; present;
ready; intimate; familiar; dear.