n. & v.
n. 1 a small or private room. 2 a cupboard or recess. 3 = water-closet. 4 (attrib.) secret, covert (closet homosexual).
v.tr. (closeted, closeting) shut away, esp. in private conference or study. Clerk of the Closet (in the UK) the sovereign's principal chaplain. closet play a play to be read rather than acted.
[ ME f. OF, dimin. of clos: see CLOSE(1) ]