close quarters

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

close quarters
    n 1: a situation of being uncomfortably close to someone or
         something

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Close-fights \Close"-fights`\, n. pl. (Naut.)
   Barriers with loopholes, formerly erected on the deck of a
   vessel to shelter the men in a close engagement with an
   enemy's boarders; -- called also {close quarters}. [Obs.]
   [1913 Webster]