near hand I. adverb Etymology: Middle English nerhand, nerehand, from ner, nere near + hand chiefly Scotland 1.: close by 2.: almost, nearly II. preposition Etymology: Middle English nerhand, nerehand, from nerhand, nerehand, adverb chiefly Scotland: close to : next to : near III. adjective Etymology:near (I) hand chiefly Scotland: adjacent, near