~ 1 [ kləʊs ]
■ adjective
1》 only a short distance away or apart in space or time.
↘dense: ~ print.
↘( ~ to ) very near to (being or doing something).
2》 denoting someone who is part of a person's immediate family, typically a parent or sibling.
↘on very affectionate or intimate terms.
↘(of a connection or resemblance) strong.
3》 (of observation or examination) done carefully and thoroughly.
4》 (of information) carefully guarded: a ~ secret.
↘not willing to give away money or information.
5》 uncomfortably humid or airless.
6》 Phonetics another term for high (sense 7).
■ adverb so as to be very near; with very little space between.
■ noun
1》 Brit. a residential street without through access.
2》 Brit. the precinct surrounding a cathedral.
3》 Scottish an entry from the street to a common stairway or to a court at the back of a building.
Phrases
at (or from ) ~ quarters (or range) very or overly ~ to someone or something.
~-fisted unwilling to spend money; mean.
~-knit (of a group of people) united by strong relationships and common interests.
~-mouthed reticent; discreet.
~-run (of a contest or objective) won or lost by a very small margin.
~-set (of things) having little space in between.
~ shave (also ~ call ) informal a narrow escape from danger or disaster.
Derivatives
~ly adverb
~ness noun
closish adjective
Origin
ME: from OFr. clos , from L. clausum 'enclosure' and clausus '~d' (past participle of claudere ).
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~ 2 [ kləʊz ]
■ verb
1》 move so as to cover an opening.
2》 (also ~ something up ) bring two parts of (something) together.
↘make or become narrower or blocked: she felt her throat ~ up.
3》 ( ~ on/in on/up on ) gradually get nearer to or surround.
↘( ~ with ) come near, especially so as to engage with (an enemy force).
↘( ~ in ) (of days) get successively shorter with the approach of the winter solstice.
4》 ( ~ around/over ) encircle and hold.
5》 bring or come to an end.
↘finish speaking or writing.
↘satisfactorily conclude (a business transaction).
6》 (often ~ down/up ) (of a business or other organization) cease to be open to the public or in operation.
7》 make (an electric circuit) continuous.
■ noun
1》 the end of an event or of a period of time or activity: the day drew to a ~.
2》 the shutting of a door.
Derivatives
closable adjective
~r noun
closing adjective
Origin
ME: from OFr. clos- , stem of clore , from L. claudere 'to shut'.