Navigation
Home
Resources
Irregular verbs quizzes English conjugator English-French dictionary French dictionary English dictionary Monolingual dictionaries Scores by institution Free sample tests FAQ Pricing Tourism training Blog Videos
Login Sign up
Blog
Videos
Pricing
FR EN

close

verb, noun, adj and 1 more — 66 senses

close

verb

UK /ˈkləʊz/ · US /ˈkloʊ̯z/

Etymology

From Middle English closen (“to close, enclose”), partly continuing (in altered form) earlier Middle English clusen (“to close”) from Old English clȳsan (“to close, shut”); compare beclose, foreclose, etc.), and partly derived from Middle English clos (“close, shut up, confined, secret”, adjective), from Old French clos (“close, confined”, adjective), from Latin clausus (“shut up”, past participle), from claudō (“to bar, block, close, enclose, bring an end to, confine”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂w- (“key, hook, nail”), related to Latin clāvis (“key, deadbolt, bar”), clāvus (“nail, peg”), claustrum (“bar, bolt, barrier”), claustra (“dam, wall, barricade, stronghold”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō), κλείς (kleís, “bar, bolt, key”), Russian заключи́ть (zaključítʹ) (via ключ (ključ)), German schließen (“to close, conclude, lock”), Dutch sluiten (“to close, conclude, lock”). Partially replaced Old English lūcan (“to close, lock, enclose”), (whence English lock). Doublet of clause.

22 senses
  1. 1To move a thing, or part of a thing, nearer to another…
  2. 2To obstruct or block.
  3. 3To become denser or more crowded with objects.
  4. 4To make or become unreceptive.
  5. 5To move to a position preventing fluid from flowing.
  6. 6To move to a position allowing electricity to flow.
  7. 7To grapple; to engage in close combat.
  8. 8To angle (a club, bat or other hitting implement)…
  9. 9To end or conclude.
  10. 10To finish; to come to an end.
  11. 11To conclude (a sale).
  12. 12To perform as the final act at (a show etc.).
  13. 13To make the final outs, usually three, of a game.
  14. 14To cancel or reverse (a trading position).
  15. 15To put out of use or operation.
  16. 16To cease operation or cease to be available.
  17. 17To cease trading for the day, or permanently.
  18. 18To do the tasks (putting things away, locking doors…
  19. 19To terminate an application, window, file or database…
  20. 20To turn off; to switch off.
  21. 21To come or gather around; to enclose.
  22. 22To have a vector sum of 0; that is, to form a closed polygon.

› To remove or block an opening, gap or…

1

Ambitransitive, Physical To move a thing, or part of a thing, nearer to another so that the gap or opening between the two is removed.

  • Close the door behind you when you leave.
  • Many flowers close at night.
4 more examples
  • Jim closed his eyes and reclined back in his chair.
  • The runner in second place is closing the gap on the leader.
  • to close the ranks of an army
  • What deep wounds ever closed without a scar?1816, Lord Byron, “Canto III”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Canto the Third, London: […] [F]or John Murray, […], →OCLC, stanza LXXXIV:
2

Physical To obstruct or block.

  • They closed the road for the festival.
  • Ice has closed the channel to shipping.
3

Physical To become denser or more crowded with objects.

  • As we penetrated further, the forest closed around us.
4

Figuratively, Physical To make or become unreceptive.

  • He has closed his mind to new ideas.
5

Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Physical, Of valve or damper To move to a position preventing fluid from flowing.

Gas and liquid flow

6

Business, Electrical engineering, Electricity, Electromagnetism, Energy, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics Physical, Of a switch To move to a position allowing electricity to flow.

Fuse or circuit breaker

7

Physical To grapple; to engage in close combat.

  • 1856-1858, William H. Prescott, History of the Reign of Phillip II They boldly closed in a hand-to-hand contest.
8

Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Especially, Physical To angle (a club, bat or other hitting implement) downwards and/or (for a right-hander) anticlockwise of straight.

› To finish.

9

To end or conclude.

  • The committee chairman made a few concluding remarks and then closed the session.
  • to close a bargain;   to close a course of instruction
2 more examples
  • One frugal supper did our studies close.1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Fifth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
  • If these brief lays, of Sorrow born, ⁠Were taken to be such as closed ⁠Grave doubts and answers here proposed, Then these were such as men might scorn: […]1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 70:
10

To finish; to come to an end.

  • The debate closed at six o'clock.
11

Business, Marketing Ergative To conclude (a sale).

12

To perform as the final act at (a show etc.).

  • Nirvana closed the festival.
13

Ball games, Baseball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To make the final outs, usually three, of a game.

  • He has closed the last two games for his team.
14

Business, Finance To cancel or reverse (a trading position).

› To make or become non-operational or…

15

To put out of use or operation.

  • We are closing the phone lines at 9 pm.
  • Your account has been closed because of non-payment.
1 more example
  • They closed the airport because of a bomb scare.
16

To cease operation or cease to be available.

  • Phone lines will close in ten minutes.
  • Our options are closing fast.
17

Of a business To cease trading for the day, or permanently.

  • The supermarket closes at eight o'clock.
  • Lots of shops in the town centre have closed because of the recession.
1 more example
  • The FTSE 100 closed up 1.2%.
18

To do the tasks (putting things away, locking doors, etc.) required to prepare a store or other establishment to shut down for the night.

  • Whoever closed last night forgot to turn off the closet light.
19

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Ergative To terminate an application, window, file or database connection, etc.

  • Close the file when you have finished reading data.
  • This app has a bug: when you try to sort a large spreadsheet, it closes.
20

Cyprus, Philippines, Quebec To turn off; to switch off.

  • Please close the lights, the (electric) fan, the TV.
21

Figuratively To come or gather around; to enclose.

  • The depth closed me round about.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jonah 2:5:
  • But now Thou dost Thyself immure and close / In some one corner of a feeble heart; / Where yet both Sinne and Satan, Thy old foes, / Do pinch and straiten Thee, and use much art / To gain Thy thirds' and little part.1633, George Herbert, The Church:
22

Geography, Natural sciences, Surveying To have a vector sum of 0; that is, to form a closed polygon.

Derived terms
46 termsautoclose, closable, closeable, close in upon, close round, close the books, close the door, close with, disclose, enclose, exclosure, foreclose, interclose, misclose, overclose, reclose, unclose, upclose, close down, close in, close in on, close off, close out, closeout, close up, close-up, case closed, close chair, closefisted, close for press, closemouthed, close one eye, close one's doors, close one's ears, close one's eyes, close one's mind, close ranks, close-stool, close the book on, close the door on, close the face, close the loop, close the range, close the stable door after the horse has bolted, number close, when one door closes, another opens
Related terms
clause
Hyponyms
autoclose

close

noun
Etymology

From Middle English closen (“to close, enclose”), partly continuing (in altered form) earlier Middle English clusen (“to close”) from Old English clȳsan (“to close, shut”); compare beclose, foreclose, etc.), and partly derived from Middle English clos (“close, shut up, confined, secret”, adjective), from Old French clos (“close, confined”, adjective), from Latin clausus (“shut up”, past participle), from claudō (“to bar, block, close, enclose, bring an end to, confine”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂w- (“key, hook, nail”), related to Latin clāvis (“key, deadbolt, bar”), clāvus (“nail, peg”), claustrum (“bar, bolt, barrier”), claustra (“dam, wall, barricade, stronghold”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō), κλείς (kleís, “bar, bolt, key”), Russian заключи́ть (zaključítʹ) (via ключ (ključ)), German schließen (“to close, conclude, lock”), Dutch sluiten (“to close, conclude, lock”). Partially replaced Old English lūcan (“to close, lock, enclose”), (whence English lock). Doublet of clause.

7 senses
  1. 1An end or conclusion.
  2. 2The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.
  3. 3The point at the end of a sales pitch when the consumer…
  4. 4A grapple in wrestling.
  5. 5The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
  6. 6A double bar marking the end.
  7. 7The time when check-in staff will no longer accept…
1

An end or conclusion.

  • We owe them our thanks for bringing the project to a successful close.
  • His long and troubled life was drawing to a close.1878, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Francis Atterbury”, in Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition:
2

The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.

  • The doors of plank were; their close exquisite.1614–1615, Homer, “(please specify the book number)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615, →OCLC; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, […], volume (please specify the book number), London: John Russell Smith, […], 1857, →OCLC:
3

The point at the end of a sales pitch when the consumer is asked to buy.

  • Regardless of the situation, the minute you feel it's time for the close, try it.1983, Charles B. Roth, Roy Alexander, Secrets of Closing Sales, page 110:
4

A grapple in wrestling.

  • The intestine shocke, And furious cloze of ciuill Butchery.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
5

Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.

  • At every close she made, the attending throng / Replied, and bore the burden of the song.1700, [John] Dryden, “The Flower and the Leaf: Or, The Lady in the Arbour. A Vision.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
6

Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A double bar marking the end.

7

Aeronautics, Aerospace, Aviation, Business, Engineering, Lifestyle, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Tourism, Transport, Travel The time when check-in staff will no longer accept passengers for a flight.

Synonyms
end, finale
Antonyms
beginning, start
Derived terms
bring to a close, close of business, close of play, close season, close time, come to a close, draw to a close, garden close, letters close, sell past the close

close

adj

UK /kləʊs/ · US /kloʊs/

Etymology Borrowed from French clos, from Latin clausum, participle of claudō.

28 senses
  1. 1At little distance; near in space or time.
  2. 2Almost, but not quite (getting to an answer, goal, or…
  3. 3Almost resulting in disaster.
  4. 4Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; almost exactly matching.
  5. 5Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact or nearly so.
  6. 6Intimate or immediate in personal relationship.
  7. 7Involving a tight connection; involving frequent…
  8. 8Nearing orgasm.
  9. 9Physically narrow or confined.
  10. 10Tight, with little space separating components or elements.
  11. 11Strictly confined; carefully guarded.
  12. 12Tightly restricted in availability.
  13. 13Of a corporation or other business entity, closely held.
  14. 14Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a…
  15. 15Hot, humid, with no wind.
  16. 16Dense; solid; compact.
  17. 17Attentive; undeviating; strict.
  18. 18Carefully done, detailed.
  19. 19Accurate; precise.
  20. 20Short.
  21. 21Closed, shut.
  22. 22Articulated with the tongue body relatively close to the…
  23. 23With its wings at its side, closed, held near to its…
  24. 24Difficult to obtain.
  25. 25Parsimonious; stingy.
  26. 26Out of the way of observation; secluded; secret; hidden.
  27. 27Concise; to the point.
  28. 28Marked, evident.

› Having little difference or distance in…

1

At little distance; near in space or time.

  • Is your house close?
  • Christmas is getting close.
1 more example
  • […] St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge walls of factories, it at once banished lively interest from a stranger's mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
2

Almost, but not quite (getting to an answer, goal, or other state); near.

  • No, but you were close.
  • We were so close to winning!
2 more examples
  • She wasn't quite in tears but she was close.
  • Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. Those that want to borrow are matched with those that want to lend.2013 June 1, “End of the peer show”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 71:
3

In particular Almost resulting in disaster.

  • Phew! That was close!
4

Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; almost exactly matching.

  • Their ages are quite close.
  • His face is a close fit with the artist's impression.
1 more example
  • It was a close contest.
5

Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact or nearly so.

  • a close translation; a close copy
6

Intimate or immediate in personal relationship.

  • He is a close friend.
  • My brother and I were close when we were younger, but not so much now.
2 more examples
  • For Christmas we just had a few close relatives round.
  • a close colleague; a close ally
7

Involving a tight connection; involving frequent communication, shared or cooperative activity, etc.

  • We have a close affiliation with the college.
  • I keep in close contact with my former colleagues.
8

Lifestyle, Sex, Sexuality Nearing orgasm.

› Compressed, restricted, constrained, etc.

9

Physically narrow or confined.

Archaic outside certain phrases

  • a close alley; close quarters; close confines
  • [...] he took to wondering what possible temptation could have induced a dingy-looking fly that was crawling over his pantaloons, to come into a close prison, when he had the choice of so many airy situations [...]1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, chapter 41, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC:
10

Tight, with little space separating components or elements.

  • For this job it's best to use wood with a close grain.
  • These trousers are a close fit.
11

Strictly confined; carefully guarded.

  • He was captured and kept a close prisoner.
12

Tightly restricted in availability.

  • The pregnancy was a close secret.
  • His lawyers have so far kept this information close.
13

Law Of a corporation or other business entity, closely held.

14

Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude.

  • If the rooms be low-roofed, or full of windows and doors, the one maketh the air close, [...] and the other maketh it exceeding unequal.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
  • 1907, Algernon Blackwood, The Dance of Death …the artificial light and close air of his high office stool …
1 more example
  • He sighed drowsily. The atmosphere of the auction room was close; you weren't allowed to smoke; and altogether he was beginning to regret that he had come.1921, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter X, in Indiscretions of Archie:
15

Climatology, Meteorology, Natural sciences, Weather Ireland, UK Hot, humid, with no wind.

16

Archaic Dense; solid; compact.

  • The golden globe being put into a press, [...] the water made itself way through the pores of that very close metal.1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC:

› Rigorous, careful, etc.

17

Attentive; undeviating; strict.

  • The patient was kept under close observation.
  • Keep a close eye on him.
1 more example
  • I must acknowledge that hitherto I have discover’d no other way to keep our Thoughts cloſe to their Buſineſs, but the endeavouring as much as we can, and by frequent Attention and Application, getting the habit of Attention and Application.a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC, page 90:
18

Carefully done, detailed.

  • This issue merits close examination.
  • Unfortunately, on close reading of the Ts and Cs, it appears that your insurance does not cover this.
19

Accurate; precise.

20

Short.

  • to cut grass or hair close
21

Archaic Closed, shut.

  • There is no thinge ſo cloſe / that ſhall not be openned / and no thinge ſo hyd that ſhall not be knowen.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew x:[26], folio xiij, verso:
  • As the alchymists were assiduous workmen—as they mixed all the metals, salts, &c... and subjected such mixtures to the action of heat in close vessels, their labours were occasionally repaid by the discovery of new substances...1830, Thomas Thomson (chemist), The History of Chemistry, volume 1, pages 30–31:
1 more example
  • I mounted into the window-seat: gathering up my feet, I sat cross-legged, like a Turk; and, having drawn the red moreen curtain nearly close, I was shrined in double retirement.1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter I, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC:
22

Human sciences, Linguistics, Phonetics, Phonology, Sciences Of a vowel Articulated with the tongue body relatively close to the hard palate.

23

Government, Heraldry, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Monarchy, Nobility, Politics Of a bird With its wings at its side, closed, held near to its body (typically also statant); (of wings) in this posture.

  • Crest, a cockatrice, wings close, vert, combed and wattled gu.1780, Joseph Edmondson, A Complete Body of Heraldry:
  • Sable, an eagle close or - ROPER, Derby. / Sable, a chevron ermine between three eagles close argent - GAMES, Leicester, granted 1614. / Sable a chevron between three eagles close argent - JERVOISE.1894, Henry Gough, James Parker, A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry, page 215:
1 more example
  • Arms : Azure, a chevron ermine between three cross - crosslets fitchy argent. Crest : An eagle close argent, ducally gorged.1902, Lincoln's Inn (London, England), The Records of the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn, page 458:
24

Dated Difficult to obtain.

  • Money is close.
  • Some of these parties have not paid their last payment, because money was close last fall.1886, “Leases of Lands in the Indian Territory”, in United States Congressional Serial Set, volume 2362, page 184:
2 more examples
  • We are told out West that the reason money is so close now is because so large an amount has been invested in real estate. I cannot understand why that would make any difference if that money has been sent from one section of the country into another for the purpose of buying real estate. Why should it make any difference as to money being close? We are told in the East large amounts have been invested in the large manufacturing plants, such as the steel plants, etc. but if the money has been invested there it has simply changed hands, and why should that make any difference?1903, Gunton's Magazine of American Economics and Political Science, page 249:
  • But there is reason underlying this confusion: time as well as money is close these days and a small wardrobe of hats can be very boring.1965, Country Life - Volume 137, page 326:
25

Dated Parsimonious; stingy.

  • Yet were these Florentines as self-retired / In hungry pride and gainful cowardice, / As two close Hebrews in that land inspired, / Paled in and vineyarded from beggar-spies; [...]1820, John Keats, “Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil. A Story from Boccaccio.”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, stanza XVII, page 57:
  • [...] he was a crusty old fellow, as close as a vice.1837, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe”, in Twice-Told Tales, volume I:
1 more example
  • Though a hard-grained man, close, dry, and silent, he can enjoy old wine with the best. He has a priceless bin of port in some artful cellar under the Fields, which is one of his many secrets.1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:
26

Obsolete Out of the way of observation; secluded; secret; hidden.

  • He yet kept himself close because of Saul.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Chronicles 12:1:
  • her close intent1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 57:
27

Archaic Concise; to the point.

  • close reasoning
  • Where the original is close no version can reach it in the same compass.1690, John Dryden, Translations (Preface)
28

Marked, evident.

Synonyms
close by, near, nearby, intimate, muggy, oppressive, high
Antonyms
distant, far, faraway, far off, remote, aloof, cool, open
Derived terms
88 termsclose as wax, close at hand, close-bodied, close borough, close, but no cigar, close call, close captioning, close combat, close-coupled, close-cropped, close encounter, close-ended question, close enough, close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades, close fertilization, close-fights, close-fisted, close-fitting, close-grained, closehanded, close-hauled, close helm, close helmet, closeish, close-knit, closely, close-mid, close-minded, closeness, close one, close only counts in horseshoes, close only counts in horseshoes and darts, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, close on the heels of, close order, close-packed, close-packing, close protection, close-quarter, close quarter, close quarters, close-range, close range, close reach, close reading, close-reef, close-reefed, closereefed, close-run, close-serried, close-set, close shave, closestool, close thing, close-tiled, close to, close-toed, close together, close to home, close-tongued, close to one's heart, close to one's vest, close to someone's heart, close to the bone, close to the metal, close to the vest, close to the wind, close-up, close-winded, close with a buck, couple-close, cut it close, fly too close to the sun, hit too close to home, in close neighbourhood, keep a close watch, keep one's cards close to one's chest, nonclose, play it close to the hip, sail close to the wind, soft-close, subclose, this close, too close for comfort, too close to call, too close to the sun, ultraclose, up close
Hyponyms
this close, thisclose, ultra-close

close

adv

Etymology Borrowed from French clos, from Latin clausum, participle of claudō.

› In a close manner (limited contexts; more…

1

So as to leave or create little distance or space between objects.

  • The car behind was following too close and could not brake in time.
  • Please stay close together.
2

Carefully, in detail.

  • Look close at the pictures.
3

In combination (sometimes potentially ambiguous between adverb and adjective).

  • close-packed, close-knit, close-fitting

close

noun

Etymology Borrowed from French clos, from Latin clausum, participle of claudō.

1

UK A street that ends in a dead end.

2

Historical Private fenced land, such as a paddock, orchard or yard, that, along with the common pasture land and woodland, constituted the inarable component of the open-field system of the medieval manor in England.

  • To be SOLD, At Mr. PACEY's, the WHITE LION in Nottingham, on Thursday the 28th Day of May, between the Hours of three and six in the Afternoon; THE INHERITANCE in Fee Simple of the MANOR of ALSWORTH, otherwise AWSWORTH, in the County of Nottingham, and also several Messuages and Tenements, with the Closes and Parcels of Land, Meadow, and Pasture Ground thereto belonging,...1778 May 1, “Classified Advertisement”, in Derby Mercury, page 4:
  • By 1765, rapid enclosure was underway in the surrounding area (open fields replaced by the modern system of private fields). By the time of the 1846 ‘Tithe Map and Award’ very little remained of the original agricultural system other than indications in field names, such as Ginn Close, Straw Close, Crab Tree Close, Noble Close, Tinker Close, Laine Close, Hansack Close, Hansacky, Little Hansacky, The Pringle and Dole Meadow. (Note – ‘Close’ meaning an enclosure).2021, Michael Smith, Stuart Lee, Lydia Ball, David Bamford, Don Foster, John Mortimer, Richard Paxton, Carol Sanderson, Dawn Savage, Graham Spencer, James Woodward, Awsworth Neighbourhood Plan 2015-2030^(https://web.archive.org/web/20260630132911/https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/68544504824b969882ceb982/68f3d7bb1d7cab8b13102c62_awsworth-neighbourhood-plan-adopted-final-s%20(1).pdf), Adopted Version, July 2021 (PDF), Awsworth, Notts, UK: Awsworth Parish Council, archived from the original on 30 Jun 2026, page 14, line 2.12:
3

Yorkshire, Archaic An enclosed field, especially a field enclosed around a (usually religious) building (e.g. a cathedral close).

4

Scotland A very narrow alley between two buildings, often overhung by one of the buildings above the ground floor.

5

Scotland The common staircase in a tenement.

  • The woman nodded at a nearby flight of steps. 'This is my close. We can talk in here. Come on.'.2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 279:
  • closes surrounded by the venerable abodes of deans and canons.1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter III, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
6

Law The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not enclosed.

Synonyms
cul-de-sac, alley
Derived terms
cathedral close, up a close

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

Learn more