enclose
verbUK /ɪnˈkləʊz/ · US /ɪnˈkloʊz/
Etymology From Middle English enclosen, inclosen, from Middle English enclos, from Old French enclose, feminine plural past participle of enclore, from Vulgar Latin *inclaudō, *inclaudere, from Latin inclūdō (doublet of include), from in- (“in”) + claudō (“to shut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- (“key, hook, nail”). Equivalent to en- + close.
1
To surround with a wall, fence, etc.
- to enclose lands
- The creative commons of the internet has been gradually and inexorably enclosed, much as agricultural land was by parliamentary acts from 1600 onwards in England.2024 May 4, John Naughton, “The internet is in decline – it needs rewilding”, in The Guardian:
2
To insert into a container, usually an envelope or package.
- Please enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope if you require a reply.
- Synonyms
- incastellate, encastellate, fortify
- Derived terms
- disenclose
- Related terms
- encircle, encloser, enclosable