close quarters
Americannoun
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a small, cramped place or position.
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direct and close contact in a fight.
They met at close quarters, exchanging many quick jabs.
plural noun
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a narrow cramped space or position
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engaged in hand-to-hand combat
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in close proximity; very near together
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Etymology
Origin of close quarters
First recorded in 1745–55
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By being in close quarters together, a greater sense of collaboration has enveloped The Ringer’s team.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026
They may have then spread Andes virus to others through breathing shared air or other close contact in close quarters.
From Salon • May 9, 2026
“Anytime you have a gathering of kids in close quarters, you risk sharing germs,” says Elizabeth Murray, a pediatrician in Rochester, New York.
From Slate • Jan. 9, 2026
The Nunalik’s 20-man crew lived in close quarters, many sharing cabins.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025
Only a month before, my ancient half-sister, who was twelve years older than me, had actually had appendicitis, and for several days before her operation I was able to observe her behaviour at close quarters.
From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
