close

1 verb

1 SHUT (I, T) to shut something so that there is no longer a space or hole, or to become shut in this way: Ann closed her book and stood up. | close a door/window/gate: Would you mind if I closed the window? | close the curtains/blinds/shutters: Close the curtains - it's getting dark. | close your eyes: Beth closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

-see open 2

2 NO LONGER EXIST also close down (I, T) if a company, shop etc closes or you close it, it stops operating permanently: We have reluctantly decided to close the factory.

3 FOR A PERIOD OF TIME also close up (I, T) if a shop or building closes or you close it, it stops being open to the public for a period of time; shut 1 (15): The shops close at six.

4 BOOK/SPEECH ETC (intransitive always + adv/prep, transitive always + adv/prep) if a book, play, speech etc closes or someone closes it, it ends in a particular way: close sth/with/by etc: The Prime Minister closed his speech by making an appeal for peace.

(+ with/by/when): The novel closes when the family are re-united in Prague. | closing remarks (=something that you say at the end of an official talk or speech)

5 close an account to stop having an account with a bank

6 FINANCIAL/ECONOMIC (intransitive always + adv/prep) if business shares (share2 (6)) or currency (1) closes at a particular price, they are worth that amount at the end of a day's trade on the stock-market:

(+ at/down etc): Portland shares closed only 4p down at 112p.

7 close a deal/sale/contract etc to successfully arrange a business deal, sale etc

8 OFFER (I) to finish on a particular date: Special offer closes June 3.

9 DISTANCE/DIFFERENCE (I, T) to make the distance or difference between two things smaller: Society needs to close the gap between rich and poor. | The other car was closing on us fast.

10 REDUCE ACTIVITIES ETC (T) to make an activity or opportunity no longer available: The legislation closes a lot of loopholes in the tax law.

11 be closed if a particular subject is closed, you are no longer willing to discuss it: It was a regrettable incident but I now consider the matter closed.

12 HOLD STH (intransitive always + adv/prep, transitive always + adv/prep) if someone's hands, arms etc close around something or they close them around something, they hold it firmly

(+ around/round/over etc): The baby's tiny hand closed over Ken's finger.

13 WOUND also close up (I, T) if a wound closes or you close it, it grows back together and becomes healthy, or you sew it together for it to become healthy: The surgeon closed the incision neatly.

14 close ranks

a) if people close ranks, they join together to protect each other, especially because their group, organization etc is being criticized

b) if soldiers close ranks, they stand closer together

15 close the book(s) on sth to stop working on something, especially a police inquiry, because it is impossible to continue

-see also: closed, closing-date, closing-time, close/shut the door on door (16), close your eyes to sth eye 1 (39) close down phrasal verb

1 (intransitive, transitive close something down) if a company, shop etc closes down or is closed down, it stops operating permanently

2 (I) BrE to stop broadcasting radio or television programmes at the end of the day: BBC 2 closes down at 12:45 tonight.

close in phrasal verb (I)

1 to move closer to someone or something, especially in order to attack them: The snake closed in for the kill.

(+ on/around/upon etc): The gang closed in on Larry brandishing sticks.

2 if the night, bad weather etc closes in, it becomes darker or gets worse

3 if the days close in, they become shorter because it is autumn

close sth off phrasal verb (T) to separate a road, room etc from the area around it so that people cannot go there or use it: One of the lanes is closed off for repairs. close out phrasal verb (T) AmE if a store closes out a type of goods, they sell all of them cheaply: close sth out: We're closing out this line of swimwear. close up phrasal verb

1 (intransitive, transitive close something up) if a shop or building closes up or is closed up, it stops being open to the public for a period of time

2 (I, T) if a group of people close up, they move nearer together: close up the ranks! (=used to order soldiers to stand closer together)

3 (I, T) if a wound closes up or if something closes it up, it grows together or is sewn together and becomes healthy again

4 (I) to deliberately not show your true emotions or thoughts: Every time I ask Jenny about it she just closes up.

close with sb/sth phrasal verb (T) BrE

1 to agree to do a business deal with someone: It was such a good offer that I closed with him on the spot.

2 literary to begin a fight or battle: The two armies closed with each other around about midday.

2 adjective NEAR

1 NEAR IN SPACE not far: The shops on Roland Way are the closest.

(+ to): They chose a spot close to the river for their picnic. | in close proximity: The new housing estate is in close proximity to a nuclear power station.

2 at close range/quarters very near: The victim had been shot at close range.

3 NEAR IN TIME near to something in time

(+ to): Your birthday's close to mine. LIKELY

4 LIKELY TO HAPPEN seeming likely to happen or to do something soon

(+ to): close to death | close to doing sth: The two countries are close to signing a peace agreement. CAREFUL

5 a close examination, inspection, observation is one in which you look at something very carefully and thoroughly: take a close look at sth: Take a closer look at the photo; doesn't it remind you of someone? | keep a close watch/eye on (=watch someone or something very carefully): I'll keep a close eye on the kids; don't worry.

6 close confinement/arrest if a prisoner is kept in close confinement or under close arrest, someone guards them carefully to make sure they do not escape

SIMILAR

7 if two things are close, they are very similar

(+ to): There was a look of resentment in her eyes which was close to hatred.

8 close to sth if a number or amount is close to another number or amount, it is similar to it: During the recession, the country's growth rate was close to zero.

ALMOST LOST/DANGEROUS ETC

9 COMPETITION/ELECTIONS ETC won or lost by a very small amount: close game/contest etc: a close match that could have gone either way | a close second/third etc (=almost finish a competition in the position ahead of the one you actually get)

10 be too close to call if a competition, election, or result is too close to call the two sides have almost exactly the same number of votes, points etc

11 ALMOST DANGEROUS/EMBARRASSING spoken used when you have only just managed to avoid a dangerous or embarrassing situation: that was close: -Phew, that was close,- Frank said as he swerved to avoid the cyclist. | a close call/shave/thing (=a situation in which something dangerous, embarrassing etc almost happens)

FRIENDLY

12 if two people are close, they like or love each other very much: Mom and I are much closer now than we were when I was a teenager.

(+ to): I felt closer to Rob that evening than ever before. | close friends: Fiona and I have always been close friends.

13 close relation/relative a member of your family such as your brothers, sisters, parents etc

14 keep in close contact/touch if two people keep in close contact, they see, talk to, or write to each other regularly

15 close association/connection/link etc if a relationship, association etc is close, the people in it work or talk together a lot: The school encourages close links between teachers and parents. | close cooperation: What we need now is closer cooperation between the club and supporters. | close partners/colleagues: Dr Henke and I were close colleagues on the research project.

ALMOST CORRECT

16 you're close/that's close spoken used to tell someone that they have almost guessed or answered something correctly: -Where did you go on holiday this year - Turkey?- -You're close, we went on a 10 day tour to Syria.-

17 close, but no cigar AmE spoken used when something someone does or says is almost correct or successful: It was close, but no cigar for the Dodgers as they lost to the Reds 4-3.

SPOKEN PHRASES

18 the closest thing to/the closest you'll get to something that is very similar to, but not exactly the same as the thing mentioned: The island was the closest thing to an earthly paradise I can imagine.

19 too close for comfort if something that happens is too close for comfort, it frightens you or makes you nervous: That car came around the corner just a little too close for comfort.

20 close to home

a) if something unpleasant happens close to home, you are directly affected by it because you see it in your daily life: It's one thing seeing violence on the television but when it happens so close to home it's a different matter.

b) if a remark or criticism is close to home, it makes someone feel embarrassed or uncomfortable: Allegations of elitism were too close to home as far as the committee was concerned.

OTHER MEANINGS

21 WEATHER very warm in a way that is uncomfortable because there seems to be no air: It's very close today.

22 SECRET (not before noun) unwilling to tell people your thoughts or feelings; secretive

(+ about): Wanda's always been very close about her past.

23 NOT GENEROUS (not before noun) not generous; mean 2 (2)

(+ with): You won't get a penny out of him, he's very close with his money.

24 close shave/haircut a process in which someone's hair is cut very close to the skin on the face or head

25 close print/stitches etc print etc with little space between the letters, lines etc: I find it difficult to read such close print.

26 close work a process or activity which involves looking at or handling things in a very skilful and careful way: Embroidery is very close work.

27 close vowel technical a close vowel is pronounced with only a small space between the tongue and the top of the mouth

- closeness noun (U) -see also: close to the bone bone 1 (9), play your cards close to your chest card 1 (13) 3 adverb

1 not far away; near

(+ to): Ships can anchor close to the shore there. | close by: The Abbots live quite close by. | close at hand/close together (=very near): Three men were standing very close together on the corner. | close behind: James heard footsteps close behind him. | get close: I couldn't get close enough to see what was happening. | stay/keep close: We must all stay close together. | hold/draw sb close (=hold someone against your body because you love them or want to protect them): He drew her close to him.

2 close up/close to/up close from only a short distance away: When I saw her close up I realised she wasn't Jane.

3 close on/close to used when you are guessing a number, age, amount etc or cannot give the exact number etc: The walk took three whole days and covered close on forty miles.

4 close to sth to be very similar to something: When I saw Henry with another woman I felt something close to jealousy.

5 come close to (doing) sth to almost do something: I tell you I was so angry I came close to hitting her. | She came close to tears when she heard the news.

6 near to the surface of something: An electric razor doesn't really shave as close as a blade.

7 run sb close to be almost as successful, skilful etc as someone else: Maxwell runs him close as one of this country's most exciting musicians.

-see also: sail close to the wind sail 1 (6) 4 noun

1 (singular) formal the end of an activity or of a period of time: the close of: They returned home tired but happy at the close the day.

2 bring sth to a close end a meeting, lesson etc: The chairman brought the meeting to a close by thanking everyone for their hard work.

3 come/draw to a close if a period of time or an activity draws to a close, it ends: And so, as 1994 draws to a close let's look at some of the major events of the year.

5 noun

1 (C) BrE a word used in street names for a road that has only one way in or out: They live at 26 Hillside Close.

2 the area and buildings surrounding a cathedral