Close Definition

close
adverb
  1. 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"
  2. in an attentive manner; "he remained close on his guard"
adjective
  1. 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"
  2. close in relevance or relationship; "a close family"; "we are all...in close sympathy with..."; "close kin"; "a close resemblance"
  3. 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"
  4. rigorously attentive; strict and thorough; "close supervision"; "paid close attention"; "a close study"; "kept a close watch on expenditures"
  5. marked by fidelity to an original; "a close translation"; "a faithful copy of the portrait"; "a faithful rendering of the observed facts"
  6. (of a contest or contestants) evenly matched; "a close contest"; "a close election"; "a tight game"
  7. crowded; "close quarters"
  8. lacking fresh air; "a dusty airless attic"; "the dreadfully close atmosphere"; "hot and stuffy and the air was blue with smoke"
  9. of textiles; "a close weave"; "smooth percale with a very tight weave"
  10. strictly confined or guarded; "kept under close custody"
  11. confined to specific persons; "a close secret"
  12. fitting closely but comfortably; "a close fit"
  13. used of hair or haircuts; "a close military haircut"
  14. giving or spending with reluctance; "our cheeseparing administration"; "very close (or near) with his money"; "a penny-pinching miserly old man"
  15. inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information; "although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it"
noun
  1. 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"
  2. the last section of a communication; "in conclusion I want to say..."
  3. the concluding part of any performance
verb
  1. move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut; "Close the door"; "shut the window"
  2. become closed; "The windows closed with a loud bang"
  3. 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"
  4. finish or terminate (meetings, speeches, etc.); "The meeting was closed with a charge by the chairman of the board"
  5. come to a close; "The concert closed with a nocturne by Chopin"
  6. complete a business deal, negotiation, or an agreement; "We closed on the house on Friday"; "They closed the deal on the building"
  7. be priced or listed when trading stops; "The stock market closed high this Friday"; "My new stocks closed at $59 last night"
  8. engage at close quarters; "close with the enemy"
  9. cause a window or an application to disappear on a computer desktop
  10. change one's body stance so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact
  11. come together, as if in an embrace; "Her arms closed around her long lost relative"
  12. draw near; "The probe closed with the space station"
  13. bring together all the elements or parts of; "Management closed ranks"
  14. bar access to; "Due to the accident, the road had to be closed for several hours"
  15. fill or stop up; "Can you close the cracks with caulking?"
  16. unite or bring into contact or bring together the edges of; "close the circuit"; "close a wound"; "close a book"; "close up an umbrella"
  17. finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead; "The relief pitcher closed with two runs in the second inning"

"Close" in song lyrics

See how close is used in real songs:

  • "the judge will plead me close"
    51.50 — Games People Play
  • "me and my darlin we was dance too close"
    69 Boyz — Catch 22
  • "me men don't need to coast the homie shows keep the gat close"
    7L & Esoteric f/ Celph Titled — Murder-Death-Kill

Usage tips for "close"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "close" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for close to find words that pair well.

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