n.

1. ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation;
   attack, plan of attack
   
   • his approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons
   • an attack on inflation
   • his plan of attack was misguided
2. the act of drawing spatially closer to something;
   approaching, coming
   
   • the hunter's approach scattered the geese
3. a way of entering or leaving;
   access
   
   • he took a wrong turn on the access to the bridge
4. the final path followed by an aircraft as it is landing;
   approach path, glide path, glide slope
5. the event of one object coming closer to another;
   approaching
6. a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others;
   overture, advance, feeler
   
   • she rejected his advances
7. the temporal property of becoming nearer in time;
   approaching, coming
   
   • the approach of winter
8. a close approximation
   
   • the nearest approach to genius
9. a relatively short golf shot intended to put the ball onto the putting green;
   approach shot
   
   • he lost the hole when his approach rolled over the green

v.

1. move towards;
   near, come on, go up, draw near, draw close, come near
   
   • We were approaching our destination
   • They are drawing near
   • The enemy army came nearer and nearer
2. come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character;
   border on
   
   • This borders on discrimination!
   • His playing approaches that of Horowitz
3. begin to deal with;
   set about, go about
   
   • approach a task
   • go about a difficult problem
   • approach a new project
4. come near in time;
   come near
   
   • Winter is approaching
   • approaching old age
5. make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion
   
   • I was approached by the President to serve as his adviser in foreign matters