Idioms for close

Origin of close

before 1050; (noun, adj.) Middle English clos < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin clausus, past participle of claudere to close (cf. clause); (v.) Middle English closen, verbal derivative of the adj. (compare Old English clȳsan, beclȳsan to shut in, enclose, verbal derivative of clūse bar, enclosure < Medieval Latin clūsa, for Latin clausa, feminine of clausus); noun and adj. senses with voiced pronunciation of s are presumably modern deverbal derivatives

synonym study for close

2. 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 especially 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. 48. See stingy1. 59. See end1.

OTHER WORDS FROM close

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH close

close clothes cloze

Example sentences from the Web for close

British Dictionary definitions for close (1 of 2)

close 1
/ (kləʊs) /

adjective

adverb

Derived forms of close

closely, adverb closeness, noun

Word Origin for close

C13: from Old French clos close, enclosed, from Latin clausus shut up, from claudere to close

British Dictionary definitions for close (2 of 2)

close 2
/ (kləʊz) /

verb

noun

Derived forms of close

closer, noun

Idioms and Phrases with close

close