Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Approach \Ap*proach"\, n. (Golf)
   A stroke whose object is to land the ball on the putting
   green. It is made with an iron club.

Approach \Ap*proach"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Approached}; p. pr.
   & vb. n. {Approaching}.] [OE. approchen, aprochen, OF.
   approcher, LL. appropriare, fr. L. ad + propiare to draw
   near, prope near.]
   1. To come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to
      advance nearer.

            Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city? --2
                                                  Sam. xi. 20.

            But exhorting one another; and so much the more, as
            ye see the day approaching.           --Heb. x. 25.

   2. To draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to
      approximate; as, he approaches to the character of the
      ablest statesman.

Approach \Ap*proach"\, v. t.
   1. To bring near; to cause to draw near; to advance.
      [Archaic] --Boyle.

   2. To come near to in place, time, or character; to draw
      nearer to; as, to approach the city; to approach my cabin;
      he approached the age of manhood.

            He was an admirable poet, and thought even to have
            approached Homer.                     --Temple.

   3. (Mil.) To take approaches to.

Approach \Ap*proach"\, n. [Cf. F. approche. See {Approach}, v.
   i.]
   1. The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near. ``The
      approach of summer.'' --Horsley.

            A nearer approach to the human type.  --Owen.

   2. A access, or opportunity of drawing near.

            The approach to kings and principal persons.
                                                  --Bacon.

   3. pl. Movements to gain favor; advances.

   4. A way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings
      can be approached; an access. --Macaulay.

   5. pl. (Fort.) The advanced works, trenches, or covered roads
      made by besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or
      military post.

   6. (Hort.) See {Approaching}.

Source : WordNet®

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

approach
     v 1: move towards; "We were approaching our destination"; "They
          are drawing near"; "The enemy army came nearer and
          nearer" [syn: {near}, {come on}, {go up}, {draw near}, {draw
          close}, {come near}]
     2: come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or
        character; "This borders on discrimination!"; "His playing
        approaches that of Horowitz" [syn: {border on}]
     3: begin to deal with; "approach a task"; "go about a difficult
        problem"; "approach a new project" [syn: {set about}, {go
        about}]
     4: come near in time; "Winter is approaching"; "approaching old
        age" [syn: {come near}]
     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"