close

[ verb klohz; adjective, adverb klohs or for 51, klohz; noun klohz for 59, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, klohs for 61, 62, 66 ]

/ verb kloʊz; adjective, adverb kloʊs or for 51, kloʊz; noun kloʊz for 59, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, kloʊs for 61, 62, 66 /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR close ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), closed, clos·ing.

to put (something) in a position to obstruct an entrance, opening, etc.; shut.

to stop or obstruct (a gap, entrance, aperture, etc.): to close a hole in a wall with plaster.

to block or hinder passage across or access to: to close a border to tourists; to close the woods to picnickers.

to stop or obstruct the entrances, apertures, or gaps in: He closed the crate and tied it up.

(of the mind) to make imperceptive or inaccessible: to close one's mind to the opposite opinion.

to bring together the parts of; join; unite (often followed by up): Close up those ranks! The surgeon closed the incision.

Electricity. to complete (an electrical circuit) by joining the circuit elements: The circuit was closed so the current could be measured.

to bring to an end: to close a debate.

to arrange the final details of; to conclude negotiations about: to close a deal to everyone's satisfaction.

to complete or settle (a contract or transaction); consummate: We close the sale of the house next week.

to stop rendering the customary services of: to close a store for the night.

to terminate or suspend the operation of; to halt the activities of: The epidemic forced authorities to close the schools. The police closed the bar for selling liquor to minors.

Nautical. to come close to: We closed the cruiser to put our injured captain on board.

Metalworking. to reduce the internal diameter of (a tube or the like).

Archaic. to shut in or surround on all sides; enclose; cover in: to close a bird in a cage.

verb (used without object), closed, clos·ing.

to become closed; shut: The door closed with a bang. This window is stuck and will not close tight.

to come together; unite: Her lips closed firmly.

to come close: His pursuers closed rapidly.

to grapple; engage in close encounter (often followed by with): We closed with the invaders shortly before sundown.

to come to an end; terminate: The service closed with a hymn.

to cease to offer the customary activities or services: The school closed for the summer.

to enter into or reach an agreement, usually as a contract: The builder closed with the contractor after negotiations.

(of a theatrical production) to cease to be performed: The play closed in New York yesterday and will open in Dallas next week.

(of a stock, group of stocks, etc.) to be priced or show a change in price as specified at the end of a trading period: The market closed low for the fourth straight day.

adjective, clos·er, clos·est.

having the parts or elements near to one another: a close formation of battleships.

compact; dense: a close texture; a close weave.

being in or having proximity in space or time: The barn is so close to the house that you can hear the animals. His birthday is in May, close to mine.

marked by similarity in degree, action, feeling, etc.: This dark pink is close to red. He left her close to tears.

near, or near together, in kind or relationship: a flower close to a rose; a close relative.

intimate or confidential; dear.

based on a strong uniting feeling of respect, honor, or love: a close circle of friends.

fitting tightly: a close, clinging negligee.

(of a haircut or shave, the mowing of a lawn, etc.) so executed that the hair, grass, or the like is left flush with the surface or very short.

not deviating from the subject under consideration.

strict; searching; minute: The matter requires close investigation.

not deviating from a model or original: a close, literal translation.

nearly even or equal: a close contest.

strictly logical: close reasoning.

shut; shut tight; not open: a close hatch.

shut in; enclosed.

completely enclosing or surrounding: a close siege preventing all escape.

without opening; with all openings covered or closed.

confined; narrow: close quarters.

lacking fresh or freely circulating air: a hot, close room.

heavy; oppressive: a spell of close, sultry weather.

narrowly confined, as a prisoner.

practicing or keeping secrecy; secretive; reticent: She is so close that you can tell her all your secrets.

parsimonious; stingy: He is very close with his money.

scarce, as money.

not open to public or general admission, competition, etc.: The entire parish participated in the close communication.

(of a delimiting punctuation mark) occurring at the end of a group of words or characters that is set off, as from surrounding text: close parentheses; close quotes; close brackets.Compare open(def 32).

Hunting, Angling. closed(def 8).

Phonetics. (of a vowel) articulated with a relatively small opening between the tongue and the roof of the mouth.Compare high(def 23), open(def 35a).

Heraldry. (of a bird) represented as having folded wings: an eagle close.

Archaic. viscous; not volatile.

adverb

in a close manner; closely.

near; close by.

Heraldry. immediately behind the ears, so as to show no neck: a bear's head couped close.

noun

the act of closing.

the end or conclusion: at the close of day; the close of the speech.

an enclosed place or enclosure, especially one about or beside a cathedral or other building.

any piece of land held as private property.

complimentary close.

Music. cadence(def 7).

Stock Exchange.

the closing price on a stock.
the closing prices on an exchange market.

Scot.

a narrow entry or alley terminating in a dead end.
a courtyard enclosed except for one narrow entrance.

Archaic. a junction; union.

Obsolete. a close encounter; a grapple: The fighters met in a fierce close.

Verb Phrases

close down,

to terminate the operation of; discontinue: to close down an air base because of budget cuts.
to attempt to control or eliminate: The city must close down drug traffic.

close in on/upon,

to approach so as to capture, attack, arrest, etc.: The hoodlums closed in on their victim.
to surround or envelop so as to entrap: a feeling that the room was closing in upon her.

close out,

to reduce the price of (merchandise) for quick sale: That store is closing out its stock of men's clothing.
to liquidate or dispose of finally and completely: They closed out their interests after many years in this city.

close up,

to come together in close array; converge: The enemy was closing up on us from both flanks.
to bring to an end; cease: The company is closing up its overseas operations.
to become silent or uncommunicative.
to reduce or eliminate spacing material between (units of set type).

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?

Question 1 of 10

decorum

the act of or need for making up one's mind.

dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.

a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for close

close ranks, to unite forces, especially by overlooking petty differences, in order to deal with an adverse or challenging situation; to join together in a show of unity, especially to the public: When the newspaper story broke suggesting possible corruption in the government, the politicians all closed ranks.

close to the wind, Nautical. in a direction nearly opposite to that from which the wind is coming: to sail close to the wind.

close up,

from close range; in a detailed manner; intimately.
Nautical. fully raised; at the top of the halyard: an answering pennant flown close up.Compare dip¹(def 37).

Origin of close

before 1050; (noun, adj.) Middle English clos < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin clausus, past participle of claudere to close (cf. clause); (v.) Middle English closen, verbal derivative of the adj. (compare Old English clȳsan, beclȳsan to shut in, enclose, verbal derivative of clūse bar, enclosure < Medieval Latin clūsa, for Latin clausa, feminine of clausus); noun and adj. senses with voiced pronunciation of s are presumably modern deverbal derivatives

SYNONYMS FOR close

2 bar; clog; choke.

8 complete, end, conclude, terminate, finish.

21 stop; suspend.

26 firm, solid.

27 immediate, proximate, nearby.

35 intent, concentrated.

36 scrupulous, exacting, accurate, faithful.

45 muggy, thick.

47 taciturn, uncommunicative, reserved.

48 penurious, miserly, tight, mean.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR close ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for close

2. Close, shut mean to cause something not to be open. Close suggests blocking an opening or vacant place: to close a breach in a wall. The word shut refers especially to blocking or barring openings intended for entering and leaving: to shut a door, gate, etc., and close can be used in this sense, too: to close a door, gate, etc. 48. See stingy¹. 59. See end¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM close

clos·a·ble, close·a·ble

[kloh-zuh-buhl] /ˈkloʊ zə bəl/, adjectiveclose·ly

[klohs-lee] /ˈkloʊs li/, adverbclose·ness

[klohs-nis] /ˈkloʊs nɪs/, nounnon·close, adjective

non·close·ly, adverbo·ver·close, adjectiveo·ver·close·ly, adverbo·ver·close·ness, nounpre·close, verb (used with object), pre·closed, pre·clos·ing.un·clos·a·ble, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH close

close clothes cloze

Words nearby close

cloqué, clorazepate, clorinda, cloris, clos, close, close at hand, close but no cigar, close call, close communion, close company

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for close

The two strengthened ties over the years and now Krauss considers Epstein a “close” and “considerate” friend.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Ney said McDonnell needs to “keep a stiff lip” and stay in close contact with family members.
Abramoff’s Advice for Virginia’s New Jailhouse Guv|Tim Mak, Jackie Kucinich|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
According to James, by 2014 his business did close to $2 million in overall sales.
Career-Minded Women Turn to Male Escorts For No-Strings Fun and (Maybe) Sex|Aurora Snow|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As the year draws to a close, these goals remain unfulfilled and the news from CAR continues to be harrowing.
The Year’s Most Forgotten Humanitarian Crisis|Nina Strochlic|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST

This is known as close air support, or CAS, in military jargon.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019|Dave Majumdar|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They know I'm close to Bobby and they'd like to have him on their side, for all their avowed independence.
And Then the Town Took Off|Richard Wilson
Afar, is the reign of philosophy; close up is the chaos of the Carlovingian era.
The Origins of Contemporary France, Volume 2 (of 6)|Hippolyte A. Taine
After a light dinner I lay down on my bed, but it was too close and hot to sleep.
Sport and Work on the Nepaul Frontier|James Inglis
Pass under the chain-gate, turn sharply to the left under another archway, and the Close is before you.
Somerset|G.W. Wade and J.H. Wade
His intimate friend, who came with him, had the good fortune to be close to Bertha, and had witnessed all that had occurred.
Materialized Apparitions|Edward Augustus Brackett

British Dictionary definitions for close (1 of 2)

close¹

/ (kləʊs) /

adjective

near in space or time; in proximity

having the parts near together; densea close formation

down or near to the surface; shorta close haircut

near in relationshipa close relative

intimate or confidentiala close friend

almost equal or evena close contest

not deviating or varying greatly from a model or standarda close resemblance; a close translation

careful, strict, or searchinga close study

(of a style of play in football, hockey, etc) characterized by short passes

confined or enclosed

shut or shut tight

oppressive, heavy, or airlessa close atmosphere

strictly guardeda close prisoner

neat or tight in fita close cap

secretive or reticent

miserly; not generous, esp with money

(of money or credit) hard to obtain; scarce

restricted as to public admission or membership

hidden or secluded

Also: closed restricted or prohibited as to the type of game or fish able to be taken

Also: closed, narrow phonetics denoting a vowel pronounced with the lips relatively close together

adverb

closely; tightly

near or in proximity

close to the wind nautical sailing as nearly as possible towards the direction from which the wind is blowingSee also wind 1 (def. 26)

Derived forms of close

closely, adverbcloseness, noun

Word Origin for close

C13: from Old French clos close, enclosed, from Latin clausus shut up, from claudere to close

British Dictionary definitions for close (2 of 2)

close²

/ (kləʊz) /

verb

to put or be put in such a position as to cover an opening; shutthe door closed behind him

(tr) to bar, obstruct, or fill up (an entrance, a hole, etc)to close a road

to bring the parts or edges of (a wound, etc) together or (of a wound, etc) to be brought together

(intr; foll by on, over, etc) to take holdhis hand closed over the money

to bring or be brought to an end; terminate

to complete (an agreement, a deal, etc) successfully or (of an agreement, deal, etc) to be completed successfully

to cease or cause to cease to render servicethe shop closed at six

(intr) stock exchange to have a value at the end of a day's trading, as specifiedsteels closed two points down

to complete an electrical circuit

(tr) nautical to pass near

(tr) archaic to enclose or shut in

close one's eyes

euphemistic to die
(often foll by to) to ignore

noun

the act of closing

the end or conclusionthe close of the day

a place of joining or meeting

(kləʊs) law private property, usually enclosed by a fence, hedge, or wall

(kləʊs) British a courtyard or quadrangle enclosed by buildings or an entry leading to such a courtyard

(kləʊs) British (capital when part of a street name) a small quiet residential roadHillside Close

British a field

(kləʊs) the precincts of a cathedral or similar building

(kləʊs) Scot the entry from the street to a tenement building

music another word for cadence

archaic, or rare an encounter in battle; grapple

Derived forms of close

closer, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with close

In addition to the idioms beginning with close

close at hand
close but no cigar
close call
closed book, a
closed door
close down
close in
close one's eyes to
close out
close ranks
close shave
close the books
close the door on
close the sale
close to home
close up

also see:

at close quarters
at close range
behind closed doors
keep (a close) watch
near (close) to one's heart
play one's cards close to one's chest
sail close to the wind
too close for comfort
too close to call

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close

verb (used with object), closed, clos·ing.