Near has 15 different meanings across 5 categories:
Verb · Adjective · Adverb · Prep · Proper Noun
The left side of a horse or of a team of horses pulling a carriage etc.
"The driver held the whip near to guide the lead horse along the cobblestones."
"The near was so thick that we could barely see the road ahead."
Usage: Use "near" as a noun only when referring to the left side of a horse or carriage team, not for general proximity. In most everyday situations, you should use prepositions like "next to" or adjectives like "close" instead.
To come closer to; to approach.
"As he walked toward the edge of the cliff, his foot slipped and he nearly fell off the side."
In plain English: To move something closer to you or another person.
"The train nears the station as evening falls."
Usage: As a verb, near means to move physically closer to something or someone, such as when a train nears its destination. Use this form when describing the action of approaching rather than simply stating that an object is close in location.
giving or spending with reluctance
"our cheeseparing administration"
"very close (or near) with his money"
"a penny-pinching miserly old man"
Physically close.
"The coffee shop is near my office, so I usually grab a cup on my way home."
In plain English: Near means being close to something or someone.
Usage: Use "near" as an adjective to describe something that is physically close in distance or time, such as a house near the park or a deadline near at hand. Place the word directly before the noun it modifies without adding extra words between them.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
"the job is (just) about done"
"the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded"
"we're almost finished"
"the car all but ran her down"
"he nearly fainted"
"talked for nigh onto 2 hours"
"the recording is well-nigh perfect"
"virtually all the parties signed the contract"
"I was near exhausted by the run"
"most everyone agrees"
At or towards a position close in space or time.
"The bus came near as I was crossing the street, forcing me to hurry back to the sidewalk."
In plain English: Near means very close to something.
"The train arrived very near the station."
Usage: Use "near" as an adverb to describe something happening immediately before another event or located very close by, such as arriving near the finish line. It functions identically to "nearly" when indicating proximity but is often interchangeable with it in casual speech despite slight nuances.
Physically close to, in close proximity to.
"The bakery is just near the corner where we parked our car."
A surname.
"My neighbor's son named Near won the regional chess tournament last week."
The word "near" comes from Old English nēar, meaning "nearer," which was influenced by Old Norse nær. Ultimately, it traces back to a Pre-Proto-Germanic root related to the concept of reaching something.