Approaches

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /əˈpɹəʊt͡ʃiz/

Definitions

1. To move closer to a person, place, or thing ; to begin to handle or tackle a problem or task
2. To come within a short distance of someone or something ; to start to consider or attempt a solution or way of doing something
3. To draw near in space or time ; to take steps toward solving or managing an issue or challenge

Etymology: The noun "approaches" is simply the plural of "approach," and the verb form is the third-person singular of "to approach." Both come from the same root, which travelled a long way before reaching English. Its ultimate source is a Proto-Indo-European base linked to the idea of nearness, and it passed through Latin "prope," meaning "near," which gave rise to the Late Latin verb "appropiare," to draw near. Old French turned that Latin verb into "aprochier," which became modern French "approcher." English borrowed it in the Middle English period as "aprochen," and the sense of physically coming closer gradually broadened. Medieval speakers used the verb for arriving, for entering someone's presence, for becoming involved in something, and even for resembling or matching someone. Those extended senses are the reason "approach" can now mean a method of tackling a problem, which is the sense behind "ways of handling."

Synonyms: methods, tactics, strategies, ways, means

Antonyms: departures, rejections, avoidances, disconnections, abandonments