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definitions

next

[nekst]
See more synonyms for next on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. immediately following in time, order, importance, etc.: the next day; the next person in line.
  2. nearest or adjacent in place or position: the next room.
  3. nearest in relationship or kinship.
adverb
  1. in the place, time, importance, etc., nearest or immediately following: We're going to London next. This is my next oldest daughter.
  2. on the first occasion to follow: when next we meet.
preposition
  1. adjacent to; nearest: It's in the closet next the blackboard.
Idioms
  1. get next to (someone), Informal. to get into the favor or good graces of; become a good friend of.
  2. next door to,
    1. in an adjacent house, apartment, office, etc.; neighboring.
    2. in a position of proximity; near to: They are next door to poverty.
  3. next to,
    1. adjacent to: He sat next to his sister.
    2. almost; nearly: next to impossible.
    3. aside from: Next to cake, ice cream is my favorite dessert.

Origin of next

before 900; Middle English next(e), Old English nēxt, nēhst, niehst, superlative of nēah nigh (see -est1); cognate with Icelandic nǣstr, German nächst; cf. near
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for next to

neighboring, adjoining, beside, bordering, close, conterminous, meeting, near, nearby, next, touching, abutting, approximal, contactual, juxtaposed, juxtapositional, parallel, sideways, against, till
British Dictionary definitions for next to

next

adjective
  1. immediately followingthe next patient to be examined; do it next week
  2. immediately adjoiningthe next room
  3. closest to in degreethe tallest boy next to James; the next-best thing
  4. the next but one the one after the next
adverb
  1. at a time or on an occasion immediately to followthe patient to be examined next; next, he started to unscrew the telephone receiver
  2. next to
    1. adjacent to; at or on one side ofthe house next to ours
    2. following in degreenext to your mother, who do you love most?
    3. almostnext to impossible
preposition
  1. archaic next to

Word Origin for next

Old English nēhst, superlative of nēah nigh; compare near, neighbour
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for next to

next

adj.

Old English niehsta, nyhsta (West Saxon), nesta (Anglian) "nearest, closest," superlative of neah (West Saxon), neh (Anglian) "nigh;" from Proto-Germanic *nekh- "near" + superlative suffix *-istaz. Cognate with Old Norse næstr, Dutch naast "next," Old High German nahisto "neighbor," German nächst "next." Adverbial and prepositional use from c.1200. Phrase the next person "a typical person" is from 1857.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with next to

next to

1

Adjacent to, as in The car next to mine has a flat tire, [Late 1300s]

2

Following in order or degree, as in Next to skiing, she likes hiking. [Early 1500s]

3

Almost, practically, as in It's next to impossible to predict the outcome, or I earned next to nothing last year. [Second half of 1600s]

next

In addition to the idioms beginning with next

  • next door to
  • next to

also see:

  • cleanliness is next to godliness
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.