Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Near in space or time: Being at a short distance away.
   • Intimate or familiar: Having a strong emotional connection or bond.
   • Careful and thorough: Paying great attention to detail.
   • Confined or stuffy: Lacking fresh air circulation.
   • Secretive or reticent: Inclined to conceal information.
   • Stingy or tight-fisted: Reluctant to spend money.

2. Adverb:

   • At or to a short distance: Near in space.
   • In a near position or relation: Almost in a particular state.

3. Noun:

   • The end or conclusion: The final part of an event or period.
   • An enclosed area: A piece of land surrounded by a barrier.

4. Verb:

   • To shut: To move something so as to cover an opening.
   • To bring to an end: To conclude or finish something.
   • To come together: To reduce the space between things.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • We are close friends. (We have a strong, intimate friendship.)
  • Please pay close attention to the instructions. (Please be very careful and thorough in your attention.)
  • The room felt close and airless. (The room felt stuffy and lacking ventilation.)

• Adverb:

  • Stand close to me. (Stand near me.)
  • She came close to winning the race. (She almost won the race.)

• Noun:

  • At the close of the day, we went home. (At the end of the day, we went home.)

• Verb:

  • Please close the door. (Please shut the door.)
  • The manager will close the meeting. (The manager will bring the meeting to an end.)
  • The gap between the two cars began to close. (The distance between the two cars began to decrease.)

Advanced Usage

• "Close ranks": To unite in defense, especially against criticism.

  • The team closed ranks to support their coach. (The team united to defend their coach.)

• "Close the deal": To finalize a business agreement.

  • After weeks of negotiation, they finally closed the deal. (They finally completed the business agreement.)

• "Close call": A narrow escape from danger or trouble.

  • That was a close call; the car almost hit us. (That was a very near accident.)

Variants and Related Words

• Closely (adverb): In a close manner.

  • He listened closely to the lecture. (He listened with great attention.)

• Closeness (noun): The state of being close.

  • The closeness of their family is admirable. (The intimacy of their family is admirable.)

• Closed (adjective): Shut; not open or operating.

  • The store is closed on Sundays. (The store is not open for business on Sundays.)

• Disclose (verb): To make known; to reveal.

  • The report disclosed new information. (The report revealed new information.)

Synonyms

• Adjective (Near): Near, adjacent, nearby.
• Adjective (Intimate): Intimate, dear, familiar.
• Verb (Shut): Shut, seal, fasten.
• Verb (End): Conclude, finish, terminate.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Close down: To stop operating permanently.

  • The factory will close down next month. (The factory will cease operations permanently.)

• Close in on: To approach and surround someone or something.

  • The police closed in on the suspect's hideout. (The police approached and surrounded the hideout.)

• Close off: To block access to an area.

  • They closed off the street for the parade. (They blocked the street so no one could enter.)

Related Idioms

• Close to home: Affecting someone personally in an uncomfortable way.

  • His criticism hit close to home. (His criticism was personally upsetting because it was true.)

• Close but no cigar: Nearly successful but not quite.

  • You almost guessed the answer—close but no cigar. (You were almost correct, but not quite.)

• Close the book on something: To consider something finished and not subject to further discussion.

  • Let's close the book on that argument. (Let's consider that argument finished and not talk about it anymore.)

Adjective

1. inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information
   • although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it
2. giving or spending with reluctance
   • our cheeseparing administration
   • very close (or near) with his money
   • a penny-pinching miserly old man
3. used of hair or haircuts
   • a close military haircut
4. fitting closely but comfortably
   • a close fit
5. confined to specific persons
   • a close secret
6. strictly confined or guarded
   • kept under close custody
7. of textiles
   • a close weave
   • smooth percale with a very tight weave
8. lacking fresh air
   • a dusty airless attic
   • the dreadfully close atmosphere
   • hot and stuffy and the air was blue with smoke
9. crowded
   • close quarters
10. (of a contest or contestants) evenly matched
    • a close contest
    • a close election
    • a tight game
11. marked by fidelity to an original
    • a close translation
    • a faithful copy of the portrait
    • a faithful rendering of the observed facts
12. rigorously attentive; strict and thorough
    • close supervision
    • paid close attention
    • a close study
    • kept a close watch on expenditures
13. not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances
    • near neighbors
    • in the near future
    • they are near equals
    • his nearest approach to success
    • a very near thing
    • a near hit by the bomb
    • she was near tears
    • she was close to tears
    • had a close call
14. close in relevance or relationship
    • a close family
    • we are all...in close sympathy with...
    • close kin
    • a close resemblance
15. 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

Noun

1. the concluding part of any performance
2. the last section of a communication
   • in conclusion I want to say...
3. the temporal end; the concluding time
   • the stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell
   • the market was up at the finish
   • they were playing better at the close of the season

Adverb

1. in an attentive manner
   • he remained close on his guard
2. near in time or place or relationship
   • as the wedding day drew near
   • stood near the door
   • don't shoot until they come near
   • getting near to the true explanation
   • her mother is always near
   • The end draws nigh
   • the bullet didn't come close
   • don't get too close to the fire

Verb

1. finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead
   • The relief pitcher closed with two runs in the second inning
2. unite or bring into contact or bring together the edges of
   • close the circuit
   • close a wound
   • close a book
   • close up an umbrella
3. fill or stop up
   • Can you close the cracks with caulking?
4. bar access to
   • Due to the accident, the road had to be closed for several hours
5. bring together all the elements or parts of
   • Management closed ranks
6. draw near
   • The probe closed with the space station
7. come together, as if in an embrace
   • Her arms closed around her long lost relative
8. change one's body stance so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact
9. cause a window or an application to disappear on a computer desktop
10. engage at close quarters
    • close with the enemy
11. be priced or listed when trading stops
    • The stock market closed high this Friday
    • My new stocks closed at $59 last night
12. complete a business deal, negotiation, or an agreement
    • We closed on the house on Friday
    • They closed the deal on the building
13. come to a close
    • The concert closed with a nocturne by Chopin
14. finish or terminate (meetings, speeches, etc.)
    • The meeting was closed with a charge by the chairman of the board
15. 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
16. become closed
    • The windows closed with a loud bang
17. move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
    • Close the door
    • shut the window