close

• Is your house close?
• Christmas is getting close.
• […] St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge...

1. At little distance; near in space or time.

2. Almost, but not quite (getting to an answer, goal, or other state); near.

   • No, but you were close.
   • We were so close to winning!
   • She wasn't quite in tears but she was close.

3. (in particular) Almost resulting in disaster.

   • Phew! That was close!

4. Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; almost exactly matching.

   • Their ages are quite close.
   • His face is a close fit with the artist's impression.
   • It was a close contest.

5. Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact or nearly so.

   • a close translation; a close copy

6. Intimate or immediate in personal relationship.

   • He is a close friend.
   • My brother and I were close when we were younger, but not so much now.
   • For Christmas we just had a few close relatives round.

7. Involving a tight connection; involving frequent communication, shared or cooperative activity, etc.

   • We have a close affiliation with the college.
   • I keep in close contact with my former colleagues.

8. (sex) nearing orgasm

• a close alley; close quarters; close confines
• [...] he took to wondering what possible temptation could have induced a dingy-looking fly that was crawling over his pantaloons, to come into a close prison, when he had the choice of so many airy situations [...] -...

1. (archaic outside certain phrases) Physically narrow or confined.

2. Tight, with little space separating components or elements.

   • For this job it's best to use wood with a close grain.
   • These trousers are a close fit.

3. Strictly confined; carefully guarded.

   • He was captured and kept a close prisoner.

4. Tightly restricted in availability.

   • The pregnancy was a close secret.
   • His lawyers have so far kept this information close.

5. (law) Of a corporation or other business entity, closely held.

6. Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude.

   • If the rooms be low-roofed, or full of windows and doors, the one maketh the air close, [...] and the other maketh it exceeding unequal. - 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or...
   • 1907, Algernon Blackwood, The Dance of Death …the artificial light and close air of his high office stool …
   • He sighed drowsily. The atmosphere of the auction room was close; you weren't allowed to smoke; and altogether he was beginning to regret that he had come. - 1921, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter X, in Indiscretions of Archie:

7. (Ireland, UK, weather) Hot, humid, with no wind.

8. (archaic) Dense; solid; compact.

   • The golden globe being put into a press, [...] the water made itself way through the pores of that very close metal. - 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […]...

• The patient was kept under close observation.
• Keep a close eye on him.
• I must acknowledge that hitherto I have discover’d no other way to keep our Thoughts cloſe to their Buſineſs, but the endeavouring as much as we can, and by frequent Attention and Application, getting the habit of...

1. Attentive; undeviating; strict.

2. Carefully done, detailed.

   • This issue merits close examination.
   • Unfortunately, on close reading of the Ts and Cs, it appears that your insurance does not cover this.

3. Accurate; precise.

• to cut grass or hair close

• There is no thinge ſo cloſe / that ſhall not be openned / and no thinge ſo hyd that ſhall not be knowen. - 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer],...
• As the alchymists were assiduous workmen—as they mixed all the metals, salts, &c... and subjected such mixtures to the action of heat in close vessels, their labours were occasionally repaid by the discovery of new...
• I mounted into the window-seat: gathering up my feet, I sat cross-legged, like a Turk; and, having drawn the red moreen curtain nearly close, I was shrined in double retirement. - 1847 October 16, Currer Bell...

• Crest, a cockatrice, wings close, vert, combed and wattled gu. - 1780, Joseph Edmondson, A Complete Body of Heraldry:
• Sable, an eagle close or - ROPER, Derby. / Sable, a chevron ermine between three eagles close argent - GAMES, Leicester, granted 1614. / Sable a chevron between three eagles close argent - JERVOISE. - 1894, Henry Gough,...
• Arms : Azure, a chevron ermine between three cross - crosslets fitchy argent. Crest : An eagle close argent, ducally gorged. - 1902, Lincoln's Inn (London, England), The Records of the Honorable Society of Lincoln's...

• Money is close.
• Some of these parties have not paid their last payment, because money was close last fall. - 1886, “Leases of Lands in the Indian Territory”, in United States Congressional Serial Set, volume 2362, page 184:
• We are told out West that the reason money is so close now is because so large an amount has been invested in real estate. I cannot understand why that would make any difference if that money has been sent from one...

• Yet were these Florentines as self-retired / In hungry pride and gainful cowardice, / As two close Hebrews in that land inspired, / Paled in and vineyarded from beggar-spies; [...] - 1820, John Keats, “Isabella; or, The...
• [...] he was a crusty old fellow, as close as a vice. - 1837, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe”, in Twice-Told Tales, volume I:
• Though a hard-grained man, close, dry, and silent, he can enjoy old wine with the best. He has a priceless bin of port in some artful cellar under the Fields, which is one of his many secrets. - 1852 March – 1853...

• He yet kept himself close because of Saul. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Chronicles 12:1:
• her close intent - 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 57:

• close reasoning
• Where the original is close no version can reach it in the same compass. - 1690, John Dryden, Translations (Preface)

• The car behind was following too close and could not brake in time.
• Please stay close together.

1. So as to leave or create little distance or space between objects.

2. Carefully, in detail.

   • Look close at the pictures.

3. In combination (sometimes potentially ambiguous between adverb and adjective).

   • close-packed, close-knit, close-fitting

• We owe them our thanks for bringing the project to a successful close.
• His long and troubled life was drawing to a close. - 1878, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Francis Atterbury”, in Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition:

• The doors of plank were; their close exquisite. - 1614–1615, Homer, “(please specify the book number)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for...

• Regardless of the situation, the minute you feel it's time for the close, try it. - 1983, Charles B. Roth, Roy Alexander, Secrets of Closing Sales, page 110:

Synonyms: closer

• The intestine shocke, And furious cloze of ciuill Butchery. - c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […]...

• At every close she made, the attending throng / Replied, and bore the burden of the song. - 1700, [John] Dryden, “The Flower and the Leaf: Or, The Lady in the Arbour. A Vision.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […],...

• The woman nodded at a nearby flight of steps. 'This is my close. We can talk in here. Come on.'. - 2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 279:

• closes surrounded by the venerable abodes of deans and canons. - 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter III, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to...

• Close the door behind you when you leave.
• Many flowers close at night.
• Jim closed his eyes and reclined back in his chair.

Synonyms: close up shut

Antonyms: open

1. (ambitransitive) To move a thing, or part of a thing, nearer to another so that the gap or opening between the two is removed.

2. (transitive) To obstruct or block.

   • They closed the road for the festival.
   • Ice has closed the channel to shipping.

   Synonyms: close off close up shut shut off

   Antonyms: open

3. (intransitive) To become denser or more crowded with objects.

   • As we penetrated further, the forest closed around us.

4. (figuratively, transitive, intransitive) To make or become unreceptive.

   • He has closed his mind to new ideas.

5. (transitive, intransitive, engineering, gas and liquid flow, of valve or damper) To move to a position preventing fluid from flowing.

6. (transitive, intransitive, electricity, of a switch, fuse or circuit breaker) To move to a position allowing electricity to flow.

7. To grapple; to engage in close combat.

   • 1856-1858, William H. Prescott, History of the Reign of Phillip II They boldly closed in a hand-to-hand contest.

8. (transitive, intransitive, especially sports) To angle (a club, bat or other hitting implement) downwards and/or (for a right-hander) anticlockwise of straight.

• The committee chairman made a few concluding remarks and then closed the session.
• to close a bargain; to close a course of instruction
• One frugal supper did our studies close. - 1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Fifth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into...

Synonyms: complete end finish wind up wrap up

Antonyms: begin commence initiate start

1. (transitive) To end or conclude.

2. (intransitive) To finish; to come to an end.

   • The debate closed at six o'clock.

   Synonyms: end finish wind up wrap up

   Antonyms: begin commence start

3. (ergative, marketing) To conclude (a sale).

4. (transitive) To perform as the final act at (a show etc.).

   • Nirvana closed the festival.

5. (transitive, baseball, pitching) To make the final outs, usually three, of a game.

   • He has closed the last two games for his team.

6. (transitive, finance) To cancel or reverse (a trading position).

• We are closing the phone lines at 9 pm.
• Your account has been closed because of non-payment.
• They closed the airport because of a bomb scare.

Synonyms: close down

1. (transitive) To put out of use or operation.

2. (intransitive) To cease operation or cease to be available.

   • Phone lines will close in ten minutes.
   • Our options are closing fast.

3. (intransitive, of a business, market etc.) To cease trading for the day, or permanently.

   • The supermarket closes at eight o'clock.
   • Lots of shops in the town centre have closed because of the recession.
   • The FTSE 100 closed up 1.2%.

   Synonyms: shut

   Antonyms: open

4. (intransitive) To do the tasks (putting things away, locking doors, etc.) required to prepare a store or other establishment to shut down for the night.

   • Whoever closed last night forgot to turn off the closet light.

5. (ergative, computing) To terminate an application, window, file or database connection, etc.

   • Close the file when you have finished reading data.
   • This app has a bug: when you try to sort a large spreadsheet, it closes.

   Synonyms: exit

   Antonyms: launch open start

6. (Philippines, Quebec, Greece, Cyprus) To turn off; to switch off.

   • Please close the lights, the (electric) fan, the TV.

• The depth closed me round about. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jonah 2:5:
• But now Thou dost Thyself immure and close / In some one corner of a feeble heart; / Where yet both Sinne and Satan, Thy old foes, / Do pinch and straiten Thee, and use much art / To gain Thy thirds' and little part. -...

Synonyms: encompass confine