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adj. 1. Direct or immediate: "The stock market crash in October, 1929 ... is often regarded as ... the major proximate cause of the Great Depression" (Milton Friedman). "The proximate cause of America's deficits is that Washington has dramatically cut the taxes of America's rich" (Eamonn Fingleton). 2. Very near or next, as in space, time, or order. See Synonyms at close. [Latin proximātus, past participle of proximāre, to come near, from proximus, nearest; see per1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] proxi·mate·ly adv. proxi·mate·ness n. |
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