near
nɪr
One narrowing gap measures distance, time and feeling alike
The picture Two fingertips brought together and stopped with the thickness of a sheet of paper left between them. Not touching yet, but as good as touching. NEAR is a gap squeezed almost shut; FAR is the same gap opened wide.
Where the picture shows up in near
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close by in space
Is there a bank near the station?
ɪz ðer ə bæŋk nɪr ðə ˈsteɪʃn
Is there a bank around the station?
On a map, the station and the bank a fingertip apart.
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close in time
The deadline is getting near.
ðə ˈdedlaɪn ɪz ˈɡetɪŋ nɪr
The deadline is almost on us.
The red date on the calendar having stepped right up to today.
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almost at that state
He was near tears when he called.
hiː wəz nɪr tɪrz wen hiː kɔːld
He was close to crying when he rang.
Eyes brimming, the tear stopped just before it falls.
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close in relationship
Only near relatives may visit the ward.
ˈoʊnli nɪr ˈrelətɪvz meɪ ˈvɪzɪt ðə wɔːrd
Only close relatives can come into the ward.
A family tree with only the few people pressed right against the center left showing.
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moving closer
The train neared the platform slowly.
ðə treɪn nɪrd ðə ˈplætfɔːrm ˈsloʊli
The train drew slowly up to the platform.
The gap between train and platform shrinking little by little.
All of it in one picture
NEAR is a narrowed gap. When the gap is space, it becomes somewhere close by; when it is time, it becomes a deadline at your heels; when it is a state, it becomes almost; when it is people, it becomes close family; and when the gap keeps shrinking, it becomes the act of drawing closer. All five stop just short of contact.