closely definition |Dictionary.com

Browse Nearby Entries

closedown

Sponsored Links Shop, Search & Save
Compare Products, Prices & Stores. All Items At Low Prices.
www.Shopping.Yahoo.com

4 dictionary results for: closely

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

[v. klohz; adj., adv. klohs or, for 51, klohz; n. klohz for 59, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, klohs for 61, 62, 66] Pronunciation Key verb, closed, clos·ing, adjective, clos·er, clos·est, adverb, noun

–verb (used with object)

1.	to put (something) in a position to obstruct an entrance, opening, etc.; shut.

2.	to stop or obstruct (a gap, entrance, aperture, etc.): to close a hole in a wall with plaster.

3.	to block or hinder passage across or access to: to close a border to tourists; to close the woods to picnickers.

4.	to stop or obstruct the entrances, apertures, or gaps in: He closed the crate and tied it up.

5.	(of the mind) to make imperceptive or inaccessible: to close one's mind to the opposite opinion.

6.	to bring together the parts of; join; unite (often fol. by up): Close up those ranks! The surgeon closed the incision.

7.	Electricity. to complete (an electrical circuit) by joining the circuit elements: The circuit was closed so the current could be measured.

8.	to bring to an end: to close a debate.

9.	to arrange the final details of; to conclude negotiations about: to close a deal to everyone's satisfaction.

10.	to complete or settle (a contract or transaction); consummate: We close the sale of the house next week.

11.	to stop rendering the customary services of: to close a store for the night.

12.	to terminate or suspend the operation of; to halt the activities of: The epidemic forced authorities to close the schools. The police closed the bar for selling liquor to minors.

13.	Nautical. to come close to: We closed the cruiser to put our injured captain on board.

14.	Metalworking. to reduce the internal diameter of (a tube or the like).

15.	Archaic. to shut in or surround on all sides; enclose; cover in: to close a bird in a cage.

–verb (used without object)

16.	to become closed; shut: The door closed with a bang. This window is stuck and will not close tight.

17.	to come together; unite: Her lips closed firmly.

18.	to come close: His pursuers closed rapidly.

19.	to grapple; engage in close encounter (often fol. by with): We closed with the invaders shortly before sundown.

20.	to come to an end; terminate: The service closed with a hymn.

21.	to cease to offer the customary activities or services: The school closed for the summer.

22.	to enter into or reach an agreement, usually as a contract: The builder closed with the contractor after negotiations.

23.	(of a theatrical production) to cease to be performed: The play closed in New York yesterday and will open in Dallas next week.

24.	(of a stock, group of stocks, etc.) to be priced or show a change in price as specified at the end of a trading period: The market closed low for the fourth straight day.

–adjective

25.	having the parts or elements near to one another: a close formation of battleships.

26.	compact; dense: a close texture; a close weave.

27.	being in or having proximity in space or time: The barn is so close to the house that you can hear the animals. His birthday is in May, close to mine.

28.	marked by similarity in degree, action, feeling, etc.: This dark pink is close to red. He left her close to tears.

29.	near, or near together, in kind or relationship: a flower close to a rose; a close relative.

30.	intimate or confidential; dear.

31.	based on a strong uniting feeling of respect, honor, or love: a close circle of friends.

32.	fitting tightly: a close, clinging negligee.

33.	(of a haircut or shave, the mowing of a lawn, etc.) so executed that the hair, grass, or the like is left flush with the surface or very short.

34.	not deviating from the subject under consideration.

35.	strict; searching; minute: The matter requires close investigation.

36.	not deviating from a model or original: a close, literal translation.

37.	nearly even or equal: a close contest.

38.	strictly logical: close reasoning.

39.	shut; shut tight; not open: a close hatch.

40.	shut in; enclosed.

41.	completely enclosing or surrounding: a close siege preventing all escape.

42.	without opening; with all openings covered or closed.

43.	confined; narrow: close quarters.

44.	lacking fresh or freely circulating air: a hot, close room.

45.	heavy; oppressive: a spell of close, sultry weather.

46.	narrowly confined, as a prisoner.

47.	practicing or keeping secrecy; secretive; reticent: She is so close that you can tell her all your secrets.

48.	parsimonious; stingy: He is very close with his money.

49.	scarce, as money.

50.	not open to public or general admission, competition, etc.: The entire parish participated in the close communication.

51.	(of a delimiting punctuation mark) occurring at the end of a group of words or characters that is set off, as from surrounding text: close parentheses; close quotes; close brackets. Compare open (def. 32).

52.	Hunting, Angling. closed (def. 8).

53.	Phonetics. (of a vowel) articulated with a relatively small opening between the tongue and the roof of the mouth. Compare high (def. 23), open (def. 34a).

54.	Heraldry. (of a bird) represented as having folded wings: an eagle close.

55.	Archaic. viscous; not volatile.

–adverb

56.	in a close manner; closely.

57.	near; close by.

58.	Heraldry. immediately behind the ears, so as to show no neck: a bear's head couped close.

–noun

59.	the act of closing.

60.	the end or conclusion: at the close of day; the close of the speech.

61.	an enclosed place or enclosure, esp. one about or beside a cathedral or other building.

62.	any piece of land held as private property.

63.	complimentary close.

64.	Music. cadence (def. 7).

65.

Stock Exchange.

a.	the closing price on a stock.

b.	the closing prices on an exchange market.

66.

Scot.

a.	a narrow entry or alley terminating in a dead end.

b.	a courtyard enclosed except for one narrow entrance.

67.	Archaic. a junction; union.

68.	Obsolete. a close encounter; a grapple: The fighters met in a fierce close.

—Verb phrases

69.

close down,

a.	to terminate the operation of; discontinue: to close down an air base because of budget cuts.

b.	to attempt to control or eliminate: The city must close down drug traffic.

70.

close in on or upon,

a.	to approach so as to capture, attack, arrest, etc.: The hoodlums closed in on their victim.

b.	to surround or envelop so as to entrap: a feeling that the room was closing in upon her.

71.

close out,

a.	to reduce the price of (merchandise) for quick sale: That store is closing out its stock of men's clothing.

b.	to liquidate or dispose of finally and completely: They closed out their interests after many years in this city.

72.

close up,

a.	to come together in close array; converge: The enemy was closing up on us from both flanks.

b.	to bring to an end; cease: The company is closing up its overseas operations.

c.	to become silent or uncommunicative.

d.	to reduce or eliminate spacing material between (units of set type).

—Idioms

73.	close ranks, to unite forces, esp. by overlooking petty differences, in order to deal with an adverse or challenging situation; to join together in a show of unity, esp. to the public: When the newspaper story broke suggesting possible corruption in the government, the politicians all closed ranks.

74.	close to the wind, Nautical. in a direction nearly opposite to that from which the wind is coming: to sail close to the wind.

75.

close up,

a.	from close range; in a detailed manner; intimately.

b.	Nautical. fully raised; at the top of the halyard: an answering pennant flown close up. Compare dip (def. 37).

[Origin: bef. 1050; (n., adj.) ME clos < AF, OF < L clausus, ptp. of claudere to close (cf. clause); (v.) ME closen, v. deriv. of the adj. (cf. OE clȳsan, beclȳsan to shut in, enclose, v. deriv. of clūse bar, enclosure < ML clūsa, for L clausa, fem. of clausus); n. and adj. senses with voiced pron. of s are presumably modern deverbal derivatives

]

—Related forms

clos·a·ble, close·a·ble

[kloh-zuh-buh

l] Pronunciation Key, adjective

close·ly

[klohs-lee] Pronunciation Key, adverb

close·ness

[klohs-nis] Pronunciation Key, noun

—Synonyms 2. bar; clog; choke. Close, shut mean to cause something not to be open. Close suggests blocking an opening or vacant place: to close a breach in a wall. The word shut refers esp. to blocking or barring openings intended for entering and leaving: to shut a door, gate, etc., and close can be used in this sense, too: to close a door, gate, etc. 8. complete, end, conclude, terminate, finish. 21. stop; suspend. 26. firm, solid. 27. immediate, proximate, nearby. 35. intent, concentrated. 36. scrupulous, exacting, accurate, faithful. 45. muggy, thick. 47. taciturn, uncommunicative, reserved. 48. penurious, miserly, tight, mean. See stingy. 59. See end¹.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

Sponsored Links Shop, Search & Save
Compare Products, Prices & Stores. All Items At Low Prices.
www.Shopping.Yahoo.com

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

close (klōs) Pronunciation Key
adj. clos·er, clos·est

Being near in space or time. See Usage Note at redundancy.
Being near in relationship: close relatives.
Bound by mutual interests, loyalties, or affections; intimate: close friends.
Having little or no space between elements or parts; tight and compact: a close weave.
Being near the surface; short: a close haircut.
Being on the brink of: close to tears.
Decided by a narrow margin; almost even: a close election.
Faithful to the original: a close copy.
Rigorous; thorough: close attention; close supervision.
Shut; closed.
Shut in; enclosed.
Confining or narrow; crowded: close quarters.
Fitting tightly: close garments.
Lacking fresh air; stuffy: a close room.
Confined to specific persons or groups: a close secret.
Strictly confined or guarded: kept under close custody.
Hidden from view; secluded.
Secretive; reticent: was close about her personal life.
Giving or spending with reluctance; stingy.
Not easily acquired; scarce: Money was close.
Linguistics Pronounced with the tongue near the palate, as the ee in meet. Used of vowels.
Marked by more rather than less punctuation, especially commas.

v. (klōz) closed, clos·ing, clos·es

v. tr.

To move (a door, for example) so that an opening or passage is covered or obstructed; shut.
To bar access to: closed the road for repairs.
To fill or stop up: closed the cracks with plaster.
To stop the operations of permanently or temporarily: closed down the factory.
To make unavailable for use: closed the area to development; closed the database to further changes.
To bring to an end; terminate: close a letter; close a bank account.
To bring together all the elements or parts of: Management closed ranks and ostracized the troublemaker.
To join or unite; bring into contact: close a circuit.
To draw or bind together the edges of: close a wound.
Sports To modify (one's stance), as in baseball or golf, by turning the body so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact with the ball.
To complete the final details or negotiations on: close a deal.
Archaic To enclose on all sides.

v. intr.

To become shut: The door closed quietly.
To come to an end; finish: The book closes on a hopeful note.
To reach an agreement; come to terms.
To cease operation: The shop closes at six.
To be priced or listed at a specified amount when trading ends: Stocks closed higher on Monday.
1. To engage at close quarters: closed with the enemy.
2. To draw near: The orbiter closed with the space station in preparation for docking.
To come together: My arms closed around the little child.
Baseball To finish a game by protecting a lead. Used of relief pitchers.

n. (klōz)

The act of closing.
A conclusion; a finish: The meeting came to a close.
Music The concluding part of a phrase or theme; a cadence.
(klōs) An enclosed place, especially land surrounding or beside a cathedral or other building.
(klōs) Chiefly British A narrow way or alley.
Archaic A fight at close quarters.

adv. (klōs) closer, closest

In a close position or manner; closely: stayed close together.

Phrasal Verbs:

close in

To seem to be gathering in on all sides: The problems closed in.
To advance on a target so as to block escape: The police closed in on the sniper.
To surround so as to make unusable: The airport was closed in by fog.
To dispose of (a line of merchandise) at reduced prices.
To terminate, as by selling: close out a business.

Phrasal Verb(s):
close in

To seem to be gathering in on all sides: The problems closed in.
To advance on a target so as to block escape: The police closed in on the sniper.
To surround so as to make unusable: The airport was closed in by fog.

close out

To dispose of (a line of merchandise) at reduced prices.
To terminate, as by selling: close out a business.

Idiom(s):
close to home
So as to affect one's feelings or interests: Her comment hit close to home.

Idiom(s):
close to the wind Nautical
At a close angle into the direction from which the wind is blowing: sailing close to the wind.

[Middle English clos, closed, from Old French, from Latin clausus, past participle of claudere, to close. V., from Middle English closen, from Old French clore, clos-, from Latin claudere.]

close'ly adv., close'ness n., clos'ing (klō'zĭng) n.

Synonyms: These adjectives mean not far from another in space, time, or relationship: an airport close to town; her immediate family; his nearest relative; a nearby library; our nighest neighbor; the proximate neighborhood. See Also Synonyms at complete.
Antonym: far

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

closely
adverb
1.	in a close relation or position in time or space; "the onsets were closely timed"; "houses set closely together"; "was closely involved in monitoring daily progress"
2.	in an attentive manner; "he remained close on his guard" [syn: close]
3.	in a close manner; "the two phenomena are intimately connected"; "the person most nearly concerned"