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little or no space: close stitches | You need a magnifying glass
to read such close print. b) very near to the surface: The
barber gave him a close shave. → see also CLOSE
SHAVE 4 thorough and careful: We kept a close watch on the
prisoners. | After close questioning, the police released the
suspect. | His work does not bear close inspection/scrutiny. |
We'll have to keep a close eye on his work from now
on. 5 not very different from an original: He bears a close
resemblance to his father. | a close translation 6 without fresh
air, and perhaps too warm; STUFFY: It's very close in here; open
the window. 7 (especially of a competition) decided by a
very small difference: The election results were very close. | a
close finish/match → compare NARROW 8 tech (in PHONETICS
of a vowel) pronounced with little space above the tongue
→ opposite OPEN 9 [F(about)] infml secretive: She's always been
very close about her past life. 10 [F(with)] infml not generous;
STINGY: close with money 11 at close quarters very near or
near together: The witness had not seen the man at close
quarters. → see NEAR (USAGE) —ly adv: a closely guarded
secret —ness n [U]
close³ /kləʊs/ adv 1 near: Don't come too close! | Although he
came very close, he did not win the race. | [+adv/prep] They live
close by. | We live close to the church. | They sat close together. |
She followed close behind. 2 close, but no cigar AmE (said
when someone has done something that was almost, but
not quite, effective, right, or successful) 3 close on (espe-
cially before numbers) almost: It happened close on 50 years
ago. | Close on 90 people came. 4 close to a) almost; nearly:
The cost was close to $1 million. | He came close to losing his
temper. b) /,kləʊs 'tu/ from very close: He looks much older
when you see him close to. 5 close to home near the (usually
unpleasant) truth: Everyone felt uncomfortable because his
remarks were a little too close to home. 6 especially BrE (sail)
close to the wind (to be) near to dishonesty or improper
behaviour
close⁴ /kləʊz/ n [S] fml the end of an activity or of a period of
time: at the close of play/of the 19th century | As the evening
came/drew to a close the guests went home. | The chairman
brought the meeting to a close.
close⁵ /kləʊs/ n 1 an enclosed area or space, especially the
area around a CATHEDRAL (=a large important church); court-
yard 2 a) BrE a road closed at one end b) especially ScotE a
narrow passage leading off a street to an enclosed area or
shared stairs for a block of flats
Close, Glenn /kləʊs/ (1947-) a US film and theatre actress
whose many films include Fatal Attraction (1987) and 101
Dalmatians (1996)
close call /,kləʊs 'kɔːl/ n infml a CLOSE SHAVE
close-cropped /,kləʊs 'krɒpt $ -'krɑːpt/ adj (of the hair)
cut very short
closed /kləʊzd/ adj 1 [(to)] (especially of a shop or public
place) not open to the public: The shop is closed on
Thursdays. | The gardens are closed to visitors in winter. | a
club with a closed membership (=open only to a special few) |
The inquiry was held behind closed doors. 2 not allowing
influences from outside: a closed society | It's no use arguing
with him; he's got a closed mind. 3 [A] tech complete in itself;
forming a unit that allows no additions: a closed system | a
closed set
,closed 'book n [S] infml 1 [(to)] something of which you
know or understand nothing: Computers are a closed book to
me. 2 something which is completed or finished
,closed ,circuit 'television abbrev. CCTV n [U] a system
used to protect shops, banks etc, by using cameras to send
pictures to a number of television sets: This building is
protected by closed circuit television.
,closed-loop re'cycling ,system n a method of provid-
ing people who are living in a SPACE STATION with fresh
water each every day by reusing all the waste liquids on
board
close-down /'kləʊzdaʊn/ n 1 [C] (in a factory, business etc)
a general stopping of work; SHUTDOWN 2 [C;U] especially BrE
the end of a period of broadcasting → see also CLOSE DOWN
,closed 'primary n an election in the US in which voters
may vote only for CANDIDATES (=people who are trying to get
political office) of the party to which they belong, in order
to choose who will represent the party in the final election.
Most states hold closed primaries so that Democrats choose
the Democratic NOMINEE and Republicans the Republican
one. → compare OPEN PRIMARY
,closed 'season n AmE for CLOSE SEASON
,closed 'shop n a place of work where all the workers must
belong to a particular TRADE UNION. In the 1960s and 1970s
there were a lot of closed shops in Britain and in the US, but
in the 1980s the power of trade unions was reduced by the
UK and US governments and now there are not so many.
Close En,counters of the ,Third 'Kind a US film made
in 1977 by Steven SPIELBERG about creatures from another
part of the universe that come to Earth
close-fist-ed /,kləʊs'fɪstɪd/ adj infml not generous with
money; STINGY
close-grained /,kləʊs 'greɪnd/ adj (of wood) having a fine
natural pattern (GRAIN), especially having narrow yearly rings
close-hauled /,kləʊs 'hɔːld/ adj tech (of a sailing ship)
having the sails arranged to sail as near directly into the
wind as possible
close-knit /,kləʊs 'nɪt/ also ,closely-'knit adj tightly
connected or united by social, political, or religious beliefs
and activities: a close-knit family/community
close-out /'kləʊzaʊt/ n AmE an occasion when a business
tries to get rid of all its goods by selling them at reduced
prices → see also CLOSE OUT
close-run /,kləʊs 'rʌn/ adj [A] BrE (of a race, competition
etc) winning by a very small distance or number of points,
votes etc: The Labour Party won the seat, but it was a
close-run thing. (=they nearly failed)
close sea-son /'kləʊs ˌsiːzən/ also closed season AmE
— n 1 the period of each year when certain animals, birds,
or fish may not by law be killed for sport: the close season for
fishing → opposite OPEN SEASON 2 BrE the summer period
when football teams do not play any important matches
close-set /,kləʊs 'set/ adj set close together: close-set eyes
close shave /,kləʊs 'ʃeɪv/ also close call n infml a situation
in which something dangerous or very unpleasant is only
just avoided: That was a close shave – that car nearly hit us!
clos-et¹ /'klɒzɪt||'klɑː-, 'klɔː-/ n 1 especially AmE a cupboard
built into the wall of a room and going from the floor to the
CEILING → compare CUPBOARD 2 now rare a small room for
private thought or prayer 3 old use a TOILET → see also
WC 4 come out of the closet to declare yourself openly as a
HOMOSEXUAL → see also skeleton in the closet (SKELETON)
closet² adj [A] not publicly admitted; secret: a closet
communist/homosexual/admirer of the President
closet³ v [T(TOGETHER, with) often pass.] to enclose (especially
yourself) in a private room: They're closeted (together) in her
office. | He spent over an hour closeted with the bank manager
close thing /,kləʊs 'θɪŋ/ n [S] infml 1 a CLOSE SHAVE: That
was a close thing! We nearly hit the other car! 2 a game,
election, risk taken etc which comes close to failing before it
succeeds
close-up /'kləʊs ʌp/ n a photograph taken from very near: a
close-up of her face | a picture of her face in close-up
clos-ing /'kləʊzɪŋ/ AmE || completion BrE — n [C;U] the
final step in buying and selling a house or other property:
Our closing is next Friday. | I was amazed at all the closing
costs that no one had mentioned before.
'closing ,prices n [P] the buying and selling prices of
STOCKS and SHARES when the STOCK EXCHANGE finishes
business for the day → see also CLOSE
'closing time n [C;U] BrE the time, fixed by law, at which a
PUB must close and stop serving drinks
clo-sure /'kləʊʒər/ n 1 [C;U] (an example of) the act of
closing, especially of a business or organization which has to
stop operating: Lack of money forced the closure of the
company. | They are campaigning against hospital clo-
sures. 2 [U] when an event or a period of time is brought to
an end, or the feeling that something has been completely
dealt with: Funerals help give people a sense of closure.
clot¹ /klɒt||klɑːt/ n 1 a half-solid mass or lump, usually
formed from a liquid, especially blood: a blood clot in his
leg 2 slang, especially BrE a stupid person; fool