near
near near-death experience an unusual experience taking place on the brink of death and recounted by a person on recovery, typically an out-of-body experience or a vision of a tunnel of light.
near is my kirtle, but nearer is my smock proverbial saying, mid 15th century, used as a justification for putting one's own interests first (a kirtle is a woman's skirt or gown, and a smock is an undergarment). A similar idea is found in the writings of the Roman comic dramatist Plautus (c.250–184 bc), ‘my tunic is closer than my cloak.’ (Compare near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin.)
near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin proverbial saying, late 16th century, which like near is my kirtle, but nearer is my smock is a justification of self-interest. The same idea is found in early 14th-century French, ‘my skin is nearer to me than my shirt.’
so near and yet so far a rueful comment on a narrow failure to achieve an aim.
See also nearer, nearest, not the rose but near it, sail near the wind, don't go near the water.
near is my kirtle, but nearer is my smock proverbial saying, mid 15th century, used as a justification for putting one's own interests first (a kirtle is a woman's skirt or gown, and a smock is an undergarment). A similar idea is found in the writings of the Roman comic dramatist Plautus (c.250–184 bc), ‘my tunic is closer than my cloak.’ (Compare near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin.)
near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin proverbial saying, late 16th century, which like near is my kirtle, but nearer is my smock is a justification of self-interest. The same idea is found in early 14th-century French, ‘my skin is nearer to me than my shirt.’
so near and yet so far a rueful comment on a narrow failure to achieve an aim.
See also nearer, nearest, not the rose but near it, sail near the wind, don't go near the water.
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