Close
Close (klōz) , transitive verb
[From Old French & French clos, past participle of clore to close, from Latin claudere; akin to German schliessen to shut, and to English clot, cloister, clavicle, conclude, sluice. Compare Clause, n.]
1.
To stop, or fill up, as an opening; to shut; as, to close the eyes; to close a door.
2.
To bring together the parts of; to consolidate; as, to close the ranks of an army; -- often used with up.
3.
To bring to an end or period; to conclude; to complete; to finish; to end; to consummate; as, to close a bargain; to close a course of instruction.
One frugal supper did our studies close.
4.
To come or gather around; to inclose; to encompass; to confine.
The depth closed me round about.
But now thou dost thyself immure and close
In some one corner of a feeble heart.
Collocations (1)
A closed sea , a sea within the jurisdiction of some particular nation, which controls its navigation.
Close , intransitive verb
1.
To come together; to unite or coalesce, as the parts of a wound, or parts separated.
What deep wounds ever closed without a scar?
2.
To end, terminate, or come to a period; as, the debate closed at six o'clock.
3.
To grapple; to engage in hand-to-hand fight.
They boldly closed in a hand-to-hand contest.
Collocations (3)
To close on or To close upon , to come to a mutual agreement; to agree on or join in. Would induce France and Holland to close upon some measures between them to our disadvantage.
To close with , (a) To accede to; to consent or agree to; as, to close with the terms proposed. (b) To make an agreement with.
To close with the land (Nautical) , to approach the land.
Close , noun
1.
The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction. [Obsolete]
The doors of plank were; their close exquisite.
2.
Conclusion; cessation; ending; end.
His long and troubled life was drawing to a close.
3.
A grapple in wrestling. — Bacon
4.
(a) (Music) The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
(b)
(Music) A double bar marking the end.
At every close she made, the attending throng
Replied, and bore the burden of the song.
Close (? o?) , noun
[Old French & French clos an inclosure, from clos, past participle of clore. See Close, transitive verb]
1.
An inclosed place; especially, a small field or piece of land surrounded by a wall, hedge, or fence of any kind; -- specifically, the precinct of a cathedral or abbey.
Closes surrounded by the venerable abodes of deans and canons.
2.
A narrow passage leading from a street to a court, and the houses within. [English] — Halliwell
3.
(Law) The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not inclosed. — Bouvier
Close (klōs) , adjective
[Of. & French clos, past participle of clore. See Close, transitive verb]
1.
Shut fast; closed; tight; as, a close box.
From a close bower this dainty music flowed.
2.
Narrow; confined; as, a close alley; close quarters.
A close prison.
3.
Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude; -- said of the air, weather, etc.
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.
4.
Strictly confined; carefully quarded; as, a close prisoner.
5.
Out of the way observation; secluded; secret; hidden.
He yet kept himself close because of Saul.
“Her close intent.”
6.
Disposed to keep secrets; secretive; reticent.
For secrecy, no lady closer.
7.
Having the parts near each other; dense; solid; compact; as applied to bodies; viscous; tenacious; not volatile, as applied to liquids.
The golden globe being put into a press,... the water made itself way through the pores of that very close metal.
8.
Concise; to the point; as, close reasoning.
Where the original is close no version can reach it in the same compass.
9.
Adjoining; near; either in space; time, or thought; -- often followed by to.
Plant the spring crocuses close to a wall.
The thought of the Man of sorrows seemed a very close thing -- not a faint hearsay.
10.
Short; as, to cut grass or hair close.
11.
Intimate; familiar; confidential.
League with you I seek
And mutual amity, so strait, so close,
That I with you must dwell, or you with me.
12.
Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; as, a close vote.
A close contest.
13.
Difficult to obtain; as, money is close. — Bartlett
14.
Parsimonious; stingy.
A crusty old fellow, as close as a vise.
15.
Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact; strict; as, a close translation. — Locke
16.
Accurate; careful; precise; also, attentive; undeviating; strict; not wandering; as, a close observer.
17.
(Phonetics) Uttered with a relatively contracted opening of the mouth, as certain sounds of e and o in French, Italian, and German; -- opposed to open.
Collocations (9)
Close borough , See under Borough.
Close breeding , See under Breeding.
Close communion , communion in the Lord's supper, restricted to those who have received baptism by immersion.
Close corporation , a body or corporation which fills its own vacancies.
Close harmony (Music) , compact harmony, in which the tones composing each chord are not widely distributed over several octaves.
Close time , a fixed period during which killing game or catching certain fish is prohibited by law.
Close vowel (Pron.) , a vowel which is pronounced with a diminished aperture of the lips, or with contraction of the cavity of the mouth.
Close to the wind (Nautical) , directed as nearly to the point from which the wind blows as it is possible to sail; closehauled; -- said of a vessel.
Close (klōs) , adverb
1.
In a close manner.
2.
Secretly; darkly. [Obsolete]
A wondrous vision which did close imply
The course of all her fortune and posterity.