I. ˈnābə(r) noun
( -s )
Usage: see -or
Etymology: Middle English neighbor, neighebor, from Old English nēahgebūr; akin to Middle Dutch nāgebuur, Old High German nāhgibūr; all from a prehistoric West Germanic compound whose first element is represented by Old English nēah near and whose second element is represented by Old English gebūr dweller — more at nigh , boor
1.
a. : one whose house or other place of residence immediately adjoins or is relatively near that of another : one that lives next to or near another
b. : one whose town or district or country immediately adjoins or is relatively near that of another
c.
(1) : one whose position (as in sitting, standing) immediately adjoins or is relatively near that of another
each of the students in the classroom passed his paper to his neighbor
(2) : corner 7
d. : something located in a position immediately adjoining or relatively near that of another
Canada is the northern neighbor of the U.S.
Venus is one of Earth's nearest neighbors
2.
a. : a fellow creature ; especially : a fellow human being
thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself — Mt 19:19 (Authorized Version)
closing their eyes and their hearts to the misfortune of a neighbor who is unknown and far away — Pius XII
b. : one that evidences true kindness and charity toward his fellowman
proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers — Lk 10:36 (Revised Standard Version)
3. — used as a term of familiar direct address especially to one whose name is not known
say, neighbor , give me a hand
and often with an implication of stiff reserve or condescension or mild hostility
better not say things you oughtn't, neighbor
4. chiefly Scotland : one of a pair
II. adjective
: that immediately adjoins or is relatively near another : that is a neighbor : neighboring
promised our neighbor American republics — Blair Bolles
III. verb
( neighbored ; neighbored ; neighboring -b(ə)riŋ ; neighbors )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to adjoin immediately or lie relatively near to : border upon
the United States neighbors the northern border of Mexico
b. archaic : to come close to : approach
can pretty nigh neighbor it with a guess — George Meredith
2. : to put into the position or relationship of having (something indicated) immediately adjoining or closely situated
a building of admirable proportions is this, neighbored by other public structures of vast size — Aubrey Drury
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to have one's house or other place of residence immediately adjoining or relatively near that of another
she neighbored close upon the street where her former friend lived
b. : to have an immediately adjoining or relatively near position or location
the earth neighbors near to the sun
2. : to associate in a friendly way (as by exchanging visits, having informal chats, offering ordinary help and advice) with another that is a neighbor : make the agreeable easy social contacts usual among congenial neighbors
it was a quiet farmplace, standing among fields … yet it was near enough the town for neighboring — Maristan Chapman
had no mind to neighbor with them — V.L.Parrington