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26/06/2016
Close 定near？
Close 同near 都解接近，好多時都係同義詞，彼此通用。
I think we’re getting close / near. 我想我們愈來愈接近了。看這句話，二擇其一，意思一樣。
另例：That was a close / near thing. 那真是千鈞一髮、險過剃頭， 是說something bad thatalmost happened。
I managed to grab him when he was aboutto fall. It was a close / near thing. 他就要掉下的時候，我剛剛捉他。那真是千鈞一髮。
險過剃頭， 英文係close shave， 講nearshave 也可以，係驚險地避過一劫，a narrowescape。
That was scary. That was a near shave. 好驚險。差一點就大件事。
英國人亦會時時講a close call，但不講anear call，另又有同類意思的a near miss，但亦不講a close miss。
總之記得，要表達「差一點點，好彩僅僅沒事」，係a CLOSE call / a NEAR miss。而near / close at hand 都解距離或時間上的接近：
I always want my cell phone near at handwhen I’m studying. 我溫習時，喜歡把手機放在隨手可及的地方。
跟看這句子：
It was eerie. I found it a little too _____ forcomfort. 情有點詭異。我覺得壓迫不安。
這個空格，你會填near，還是close？
答案是close。Too close for comfort 係個習語——所以答near 是錯的——指身處一個景，當中的人或物令你覺得太過接近，生不安至不安全感。
Being too close for comfort usually breaksfriendship. 過分熟不拘禮，容易破壞友誼。話到此處，都清楚看到close 與near 儘管有同義之處，但因為好些約定俗成的話，要小心分開來用。譬如說：
I’m near him. 我很接近他。
這話可以不過是指距離上的接近。
I’m close to him. 我與他很親近。
這句就去到精神上的接近了。
事實是， 人與人之間的關係， 通常都用close 來形容。
I don’t like him getting up CLOSE andpersonal. 我不喜歡他不留距離、故作親暱。
They are CLOSE enough to use the sametoothpick. 他們親密至（幾乎）可以共用一根牙籤。
You never quite know what he’s up to – hekeeps cards CLOSE to his chest. 沒有人知道他想怎樣——他不吐露心聲，是個不動聲色的人。
習語keep cards close to chest，是指玩啤牌遊戲時把手頭的牌緊放在胸前，不讓人看見。比喻一個極度內向、或秘密、或與人處事非常小心的人。
而回說near，也有一句near and dear，因為押韻，不會隨便把near 改做close。還有，near 也可做動詞：
The boat NEARED the pier. 船靠近碼頭了。這個near，用close 代替不了。