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Which fictional character is known for having a clumsy romantic approach?

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approach

American  

[uh-prohch] / əˈproʊtʃ /

verb (used with object)

• approaches,
  present (3rd person singular)
• approached,
  past participle,  past
• approaching
  present participle

1. 

   to come near or nearer to.

   The cars slowed down as they approached the intersection.

   Synonyms:

   near

2. to come near to in quality, character, time, or condition; to come within range for comparison.

   As a poet he hardly approaches Keats.

3. to present, offer, or make a proposal or request to.

   to approach the president with a suggestion.

4. to begin work on; set about.

   to approach a problem.

5. to make advances to; address.

6. to bring near to something.

   Antonyms:

   withdraw

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verb (used without object)

• approaches,
  present (3rd person singular)
• approached,
  past participle,  past
• approaching
  present participle

1. to come nearer; draw near.

   A storm is approaching.

2. to come near in character, time, amount, etc.; approximate.

noun

• approaches
  plural

1. the act of drawing near.

   the approach of a train.

2. nearness or close approximation.

   a fair approach to accuracy.

3. any means of access, as a road or ramp.

   the approaches to a city.

4. the method used or steps taken in setting about a task, problem, etc..

   His approach to any problem was to prepare an outline.

5. the course to be followed by an aircraft in approaching for a landing or in joining a traffic pattern.

   The plane's approach to the airport was hazardous.

6. Sometimes approaches. a presentation, offer, or proposal.

7. Military. approaches, works for protecting forces in an advance against a fortified position.

8. Also called approach shot. Golf. a stroke made after teeing off, by which a player attempts to get the ball onto the putting green.

9. Bowling.

   1. the steps taken and the manner employed in delivering the ball.

      He favors a four-step approach.

   2. Also called runway. the area behind the foul line, from which the ball is delivered.

approach British  

/ əˈprəʊtʃ /

verb

1. to come nearer in position, time, quality, character, etc, to (someone or something)

2. (tr) to make advances to, as with a proposal, suggestion, etc

3. (tr) to begin to deal with

   to approach a problem

4. rare (tr) to cause to come near

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noun

1. the act of coming towards or drawing close or closer

2. a close approximation

3. the way or means of entering or leaving; access

4. (often plural) an advance or overture to a person

5. a means adopted in tackling a problem, job of work, etc

6. Also called: approach path. the course followed by an aircraft preparing for landing

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• approacher
  noun
• reapproach
  verb
• approachless
  adjective
• unapproached
  adjective
• unapproaching
  adjective
• well-approached
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• approaches
  plural

Participles

• approaching
  present
• approached
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• approach
  simple
• approaches
  simple
• have approached
  perfect
• has approached
  perfect
• am approaching
  progressive
• are approaching
  progressive
• is approaching
  progressive
• have been approaching
  perfect progressive
• has been approaching
  perfect progressive

Past

• approached
  simple
• had approached
  perfect
• was approaching
  progressive
• were approaching
  progressive
• had been approaching
  perfect progressive

Future

• will approach
  simple
• will have approached
  perfect
• will be approaching
  progressive
• will have been approaching
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of approach

First recorded in 1275–1325; (verb) Middle English a(p)prochen, from Old French aprochier, from Late Latin adpropiāre “to draw near,” equivalent to ad- “to” and propiāre “to draw near,” derivative of Latin propius “nearer” (comparative of prope “near”), replacing Latin appropinquāre; (noun) late Middle English approche, derivative of the verb; see ad- ( def. ), propinquity ( def. )

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Explanation

To approach is to get near something. An airplane is cleared for a final approach just as the wheels approach the landing strip. Approach comes from the Latin word appropriare which means "go nearer to." You can physically approach something, like a waiter going to a table. Or, you can approach a subject, usually one you're a little nervous about — like a new employee might approach her boss about getting a raise. Time can also approach, like winter, midnight, or even old age.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

approach approaches approached approaching

This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled approach is considered the gold standard in clinical research because it reduces potential bias and allows investigators to assess treatment effects more objectively.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026

Although neuroscience and psychoanalysis approach the mind differently, the researchers suggest that both may be describing related processes.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

This approach revealed the distribution of plaques and microglia across the brain, helping researchers understand where immune cells were responding to Alzheimer's pathology.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

This approach revealed five distinct groups, each with its own underlying biological features.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

Clare crept closer, the sound of his approach buried beneath the human commotion.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

In “The Savage Mind,” such an opening emerges in response to the pernicious myth of Manifest Destiny, which Treuer approaches through the lens of the frontier.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

As the big freeze approaches again, Ukraine is racing to make sufficient repairs to the battered grid in time.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

Quantinuum expects that computer, called Apollo, to be fully fault-tolerant and use around 30 times fewer physical qubits than other leading approaches do.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Wilson predicts this trend has further to run as the broader correction in stock markets approaches its end point.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026

As I rush from hiding to scramble on, like a warrior from a story I have heard, one such woman approaches.

From "Beast Rider" by Tony Johnston & María Elena Fontanot de Rhoads

The Palestinians had approached the settlers with their hands behind their backs to make plain they posed no threat.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

The couple, in their mid-30s, put their home search on pause as rates approached 7.5%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

As Trudy approached this week, Trejo and his staff found themselves once again boarding up their seaside cafe — while bracing themselves for lost income and potential damage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026

The BBC has approached the Egyptian consulate in London for a response.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

As the end of my shift approached, I heard the sound of a throat clearing behind me.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Yet Americans are approaching that election with increasingly different assessments of the institutions charged with protecting them, even as their own precautions suggest a broadly shared sense of vulnerability.

From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk is approaching retirement, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are finally preparing to meet and a new group of world champions are looking to establish themselves.

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

The discovery highlights an important shift in how scientists are approaching fatty liver disease.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

Danielle Booker’s flight was approaching Denver when turbulence hit—and she realized she was in trouble.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

The doorman stood with his back straight, his chin up, staring down his nose at the approaching archers and prisoners.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

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