at close quarters

Idioms  

1. Crowded, in a confined space, as in We could use a lot more room; this tiny office puts us at close quarters. This idiom makes figurative use of quarters in the sense of “military lodgings” but originated in 18th-century naval warfare. When the enemy boarded a ship, the crew would retreat behind wooden barriers erected for this purpose and would continue to fire through loopholes. They thus were very near the enemy, fighting in close quarters. [c. 1800]

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Example Sentences

The post-match operation was observed at close quarters by Newcastle stewards and senior staff.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

A couple of small groups would walk alongside MPs as they tried to move around the tiny SW1 postcode, hurling abuse and accusations at close quarters and recording them on their phones.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2024

The account highlights the preferred tactic of Burhan's opponent General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, namely fighting at close quarters and playing to the strengths of his RSF.

From Reuters • May 10, 2023

And I had wondered how it would feel to be back — at close quarters, with no masking or vaccine requirements — at the big top again.

From New York Times • Nov. 25, 2022

He began walking faster, as if he couldn’t wait to see his creation at close quarters.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

Related Words

• adjacent
• adjoining
• immediate
• nearby
• neighboring
• warm