The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Approach \Ap*proach"\, v. t.
   1. To bring near; to cause to draw near; to advance.
      [Archaic] --Boyle.
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   2. To come near to in place, time, or character; to draw
      nearer to; as, to approach the city; to approach my cabin;
      he approached the age of manhood.
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            He was an admirable poet, and thought even to have
            approached Homer.                     --Temple.
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   3. (Mil.) To take approaches to.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Approach \Ap*proach"\, n. [Cf. F. approche. See Approach, v.
   i.]
   1. The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near. "The
      approach of summer." --Horsley.
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            A nearer approach to the human type.  --Owen.
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   2. A access, or opportunity of drawing near.
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            The approach to kings and principal persons.
                                                  --Bacon.
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   3. pl. Movements to gain favor; advances.
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   4. A way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings
      can be approached; an access. --Macaulay.
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   5. pl. (Fort.) The advanced works, trenches, or covered roads
      made by besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or
      military post.
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   6. (Hort.) See Approaching.
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   7. (Golf) A stroke whose object is to land the ball on the
      putting green. It is made with an iron club.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   8. (Aviation) that part of a flight during which an airplane
      descends toward the landing strip.
      [PJC]

   9. (Bowling) the steps taken by a bowler just before
      delivering the ball toward the pins.
      [PJC.]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Approach \Ap*proach"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Approached; p. pr.
   & vb. n. Approaching.] [OE. approchen, aprochen, OF.
   approcher, LL. appropriare, fr. L. ad + propiare to draw
   near, prope near.]
   1. To come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to
      advance nearer.
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            Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city? --2
                                                  Sam. xi. 20.
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            But exhorting one another; and so much the more, as
            ye see the day approaching.           --Heb. x. 25.
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   2. To draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to
      approximate; as, he approaches to the character of the
      ablest statesman.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

approach
    n 1: ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or
         situation; "his approach to every problem is to draw up a
         list of pros and cons"; "an attack on inflation"; "his plan
         of attack was misguided" [syn: approach, attack, plan
         of attack]
    2: the act of drawing spatially closer to something; "the
       hunter's approach scattered the geese" [syn: approach,
       approaching, coming]
    3: a way of entering or leaving; "he took a wrong turn on the
       access to the bridge" [syn: access, approach]
    4: the final path followed by an aircraft as it is landing [syn:
       approach path, approach, glide path, glide slope]
    5: the event of one object coming closer to another [syn:
       approach, approaching]
    6: a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of
       others; "she rejected his advances" [syn: overture,
       advance, approach, feeler]
    7: the temporal property of becoming nearer in time; "the
       approach of winter" [syn: approach, approaching,
       coming]
    8: a close approximation; "the nearest approach to genius"
    9: a relatively short golf shot intended to put the ball onto
       the putting green; "he lost the hole when his approach rolled
       over the green" [syn: approach, approach shot]
    v 1: move towards; "We were approaching our destination"; "They
         are drawing near"; "The enemy army came nearer and nearer"
         [syn: approach, near, come on, go up, draw near,
         draw close, come near]
    2: come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or
       character; "This borders on discrimination!"; "His playing
       approaches that of Horowitz" [syn: border on, approach]
    3: begin to deal with; "approach a task"; "go about a difficult
       problem"; "approach a new project" [syn: set about, go
       about, approach]
    4: come near in time; "Winter is approaching"; "approaching old
       age" [syn: approach, come near]
    5: make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or
       suggestion; "I was approached by the President to serve as
       his adviser in foreign matters"