Definition of CLOSE

close

Plural: closes

Noun

  • the temporal end; the concluding time
    • "they were playing better at the close of the season"
  • the last section of a communication
  • the concluding part of any performance
  • An end or conclusion.
  • The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.
  • The point at the end of a sales pitch when the consumer is asked to buy.
  • A grapple in wrestling.
  • The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
  • A double bar marking the end.
  • The time when check-in staff will no longer accept passengers for a flight.
  • An enclosed field, especially a field enclosed around a (usually religious) building.
  • A street that ends in a dead end.
  • A very narrow alley between two buildings, often overhung by one of the buildings above the ground floor.
  • The common staircase in a tenement.
  • A cathedral close.
  • The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not enclosed

Verb

Verb Forms: closed, closing, closes

  • To shut or block an opening; to bring to an end.
  • move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
    • "Close the door"
  • become closed
    • "The windows closed with a loud bang"
  • cease to operate or cause to cease operating
    • "The owners decided to move and to close the factory"
    • "My business closes every night at 8 P.M."
    • "close up the shop"
  • finish or terminate (meetings, speeches, etc.)
    • "The meeting was closed with a charge by the chairman of the board"
  • come to a close
    • "The concert closed with a nocturne by Chopin"
  • complete a business deal, negotiation, or an agreement
    • "We closed on the house on Friday"
    • "They closed the deal on the building"
  • be priced or listed when trading stops
    • "The stock market closed high this Friday"
    • "My new stocks closed at $59 last night"
  • engage at close quarters
    • "close with the enemy"
  • cause a window or an application to disappear on a computer desktop
  • change one's body stance so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact
  • come together, as if in an embrace
    • "Her arms closed around her long lost relative"
  • draw near
    • "The probe closed with the space station"
  • bring together all the elements or parts of
    • "Management closed ranks"
  • bar access to
    • "Due to the accident, the road had to be closed for several hours"
  • fill or stop up
    • "Can you close the cracks with caulking?"
  • unite or bring into contact or bring together the edges of
    • "close the circuit"
    • "close a wound"
    • "close a book"
    • "close up an umbrella"
  • finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead
    • "The relief pitcher closed with two runs in the second inning"
  • To remove or block an opening, gap or passage through.
  • To move a thing, or part of a thing, nearer to another so that the gap or opening between the two is removed.
  • To remove or block an opening, gap or passage through.
  • To obstruct or block.
  • To remove or block an opening, gap or passage through.
  • To become denser or more crowded with objects.
  • To remove or block an opening, gap or passage through.
  • To make or become unreceptive.
  • To remove or block an opening, gap or passage through.
  • To move to a position preventing fluid from flowing.
  • To remove or block an opening, gap or passage through.
  • To move to a position allowing electricity to flow.
  • To remove or block an opening, gap or passage through.
  • To grapple; to engage in close combat.
  • To remove or block an opening, gap or passage through.
  • To angle (a club, bat or other hitting implement) downwards and/or (for a right-hander) anticlockwise of straight.
  • To finish.
  • To end or conclude.
  • To finish.
  • To finish; to come to an end.
  • To finish.
  • To conclude (a sale).
  • To finish.
  • To perform as the final act at (a show etc.).
  • To finish.
  • To make the final outs, usually three, of a game.
  • To finish.
  • To cancel or reverse (a trading position).
  • To make or become non-operational or unavailable for use.
  • To put out of use or operation.
  • To make or become non-operational or unavailable for use.
  • To cease operation or cease to be available.
  • To make or become non-operational or unavailable for use.
  • To cease trading for the day, or permanently.
  • To make or become non-operational or unavailable for use.
  • To do the tasks (putting things away, locking doors, etc.) required to prepare a store or other establishment to shut down for the night.
  • To make or become non-operational or unavailable for use.
  • To terminate an application, window, file or database connection, etc.
  • To make or become non-operational or unavailable for use.
  • To turn off; to switch off.
  • To come or gather around; to enclose.
  • To have a vector sum of 0; that is, to form a closed polygon.

Adjective

  • Near in space, time, or relation; intimate or secret.
  • at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
    • "close to noon"
    • "how close are we to town?"
    • "a close formation of ships"
  • close in relevance or relationship
    • "a close family"
    • "we are all...in close sympathy with..."
    • "close kin"
    • "a close resemblance"
  • not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances
    • "she was close to tears"
    • "had a close call"

Adjective Satellite

  • rigorously attentive; strict and thorough
    • "close supervision"
    • "paid close attention"
    • "a close study"
    • "kept a close watch on expenditures"
  • marked by fidelity to an original
    • "a close translation"
  • (of a contest or contestants) evenly matched
    • "a close contest"
    • "a close election"
  • crowded
    • "close quarters"
  • lacking fresh air
    • "the dreadfully close atmosphere"
  • of textiles
    • "a close weave"
  • strictly confined or guarded
    • "kept under close custody"
  • confined to specific persons
    • "a close secret"
  • fitting closely but comfortably
    • "a close fit"
  • used of hair or haircuts
    • "a close military haircut"
  • giving or spending with reluctance
    • "very close (or near) with his money"
  • inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information
    • "although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it"

Adverb

  • near in time or place or relationship
    • "the bullet didn't come close"
    • "don't get too close to the fire"
  • in an attentive manner
    • "he remained close on his guard"

Adj

  • Having little difference or distance in place, position, or abstractly; see also close to.
  • At little distance; near in space or time.
  • Having little difference or distance in place, position, or abstractly; see also close to.
  • Almost, but not quite (getting to an answer, goal, or other state); near.
  • Having little difference or distance in place, position, or abstractly; see also close to.
  • Almost resulting in disaster.
  • Having little difference or distance in place, position, or abstractly; see also close to.
  • Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; almost exactly matching.
  • Having little difference or distance in place, position, or abstractly; see also close to.
  • Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact or nearly so.
  • Having little difference or distance in place, position, or abstractly; see also close to.
  • Intimate or immediate in personal relationship.
  • Having little difference or distance in place, position, or abstractly; see also close to.
  • Involving a tight connection; involving frequent communication, shared or cooperative activity, etc.
  • Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.
  • Physically narrow or confined.
  • Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.
  • Tight, with little space separating components or elements.
  • Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.
  • Strictly confined; carefully guarded.
  • Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.
  • Tightly restricted in availability.
  • Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.
  • Of a corporation or other business entity, closely held.
  • Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.
  • Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude.
  • Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.
  • Hot, humid, with no wind.
  • Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.
  • Dense; solid; compact.
  • Rigorous, careful, etc.
  • Attentive; undeviating; strict.
  • Rigorous, careful, etc.
  • Carefully done, detailed.
  • Rigorous, careful, etc.
  • Accurate; precise.
  • Short.
  • Closed, shut.
  • Articulated with the tongue body relatively close to the hard palate.
  • With its wings at its side, closed, held near to its body (typically also statant); (of wings) in this posture.
  • Difficult to obtain.
  • Parsimonious; stingy.
  • Out of the way of observation; secluded; secret; hidden.
  • Concise; to the point.
  • Marked, evident.

Adv

  • In a close manner (limited contexts; more often closely).
  • So as to leave or create little distance or space between objects.
  • In a close manner (limited contexts; more often closely).
  • Carefully, in detail.
  • In a close manner (limited contexts; more often closely).
  • In combination (sometimes potentially ambiguous between adverb and adjective).

Examples

  • a close alley; close quarters; close confines
  • a close colleague; a close ally
  • a close translation; a close copy
  • As we penetrated further, the forest closed around us.
  • Christmas is getting close.
  • close reasoning
  • Close the door behind you when you leave.
  • Close the file when you have finished reading data.
  • close-packed, close-knit, close-fitting
  • For Christmas we just had a few close relatives round.
  • For this job it's best to use wood with a close grain.
  • He decided to CLOSE off the triple-word score lane, denying his opponent a big play.
  • He has closed his mind to new ideas.
  • He has closed the last two games for his team.
  • He is a close friend.
  • He was captured and kept a close prisoner.
  • His face is a close fit with the artist's impression.
  • His lawyers have so far kept this information close.
  • I keep in close contact with my former colleagues.
  • Ice has closed the channel to shipping.
  • Is your house close?
  • It was a close contest.
  • Jim closed his eyes and reclined back in his chair.
  • Keep a close eye on him.
  • Look close at the pictures.
  • Lots of shops in the town centre have closed because of the recession.
  • Many flowers close at night.
  • Money is close.
  • My brother and I were close when we were younger, but not so much now.
  • Nirvana closed the festival.
  • No, but you were close.
  • Our options are closing fast.
  • Phew! That was close!
  • Phone lines will close in ten minutes.
  • Please close the lights, the (electric) fan, the TV.
  • Please stay close together.
  • She wasn't quite in tears but she was close.
  • The car behind was following too close and could not brake in time.
  • The committee chairman made a few concluding remarks and then closed the session.
  • The debate closed at six o'clock.
  • The FTSE 100 closed up 1.2%.
  • The game was so CLOSE, every single point mattered in Words With Friends.
  • The patient was kept under close observation.
  • The pregnancy was a close secret.
  • The runner in second place is closing the gap on the leader.
  • The supermarket closes at eight o'clock.
  • Their ages are quite close.
  • These trousers are a close fit.
  • They closed the airport because of a bomb scare.
  • They closed the road for the festival.
  • This app has a bug: when you try to sort a large spreadsheet, it closes.
  • This issue merits close examination.
  • to close a bargain;   to close a course of instruction
  • to close the ranks of an army
  • to cut grass or hair close
  • Unfortunately, on close reading of the Ts and Cs, it appears that your insurance does not cover this.
  • We are closing the phone lines at 9 pm.
  • We have a close affiliation with the college.
  • We owe them our thanks for bringing the project to a successful close.
  • We were so close to winning!
  • Whoever closed last night forgot to turn off the closet light.
  • Your account has been closed because of non-payment.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English closen (“to close, enclose”), partly continuing (in altered form) earlier Middle English clusen (“to close”) from Old English clȳsan (“to close, shut”); compare beclose, foreclose, etc.), and partly derived from Middle English clos (“close, shut up, confined, secret”, adjective), from Old French clos (“close, confined”, adjective), from Latin clausus (“shut up”, past participle), from claudere (“to bar, block, close, enclose, bring an end to, confine”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂w- (“key, hook, nail”), related to Latin clāvis (“key, deadbolt, bar”), clāvus (“nail, peg”), claustrum (“bar, bolt, barrier”), claustra (“dam, wall, barricade, stronghold”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κλείς (kleís, “bar, bolt, key”), German schließen (“to close, conclude, lock”), Dutch sluiten (“to close, conclude, lock”). Partially replaced Old English lūcan (“to close, lock, enclose”), (whence English lock). Doublet of clause.

Synonyms

airless, cheeseparing, close down, close up, close-fitting, closelipped, closely, closemouthed, closing, closing curtain, come together, conclude, conclusion, confining, end, ending, faithful, fill up, finale, finis, finish, fold, last, near, nigh, penny-pinching, secretive, shut, shut down, skinny, snug, stopping point, stuffy, tight, tightlipped, unaired, alley, close by, close off, closer, compact, complete, confine, cul-de-sac, encompass, exit, high, intimate, muggy, nearby, oppressive, shut off, wind up, wrap up

Scrabble Score: 7

close: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
close: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
close: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

close: valid Words With Friends Word