from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Close \Close\ (kl[=o]s), a. [Compar. {Closer} (kl[=o]"s[~e]r);
superl. {Closest}.] [Of. & F. clos, p. p. of clore. See
{Close}, v. t.]
1. Shut fast; closed; tight; as, a close box.
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From a close bower this dainty music flowed.
--Dryden.
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2. Narrow; confined; as, a close alley; close quarters. "A
close prison." --Dickens.
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3. Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a
feeling of lassitude; -- said of the air, weather, etc.
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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. --Bacon.
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4. Strictly confined; carefully quarded; as, a close
prisoner.
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5. Out of the way observation; secluded; secret; hidden. "He
yet kept himself close because of Saul." --1 Chron. xii. 1
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"Her close intent." --Spenser.
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6. Disposed to keep secrets; secretive; reticent. "For
secrecy, no lady closer." --Shak.
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7. Having the parts near each other; dense; solid; compact;
as applied to bodies; viscous; tenacious; not volatile, as
applied to liquids.
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The golden globe being put into a press, . . . the
water made itself way through the pores of that very
close metal. --Locke.
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8. Concise; to the point; as, close reasoning. "Where the
original is close no version can reach it in the same
compass." --Dryden.
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9. Adjoining; near; either in space; time, or thought; --
often followed by to.
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Plant the spring crocuses close to a wall.
--Mortimer.
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The thought of the Man of sorrows seemed a very
close thing -- not a faint hearsay. --G. Eliot.
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10. Short; as, to cut grass or hair close.
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11. Intimate; familiar; confidential.
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League with you I seek
And mutual amity, so strait, so close,
That I with you must dwell, or you with me.
--Milton.
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12. Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; as, a close vote.
"A close contest." --Prescott.
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13. Difficult to obtain; as, money is close. --Bartlett.
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14. Parsimonious; stingy. "A crusty old fellow, as close as a
vise." --Hawthorne.
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15. Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact;
strict; as, a close translation. --Locke.
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16. Accurate; careful; precise; also, attentive; undeviating;
strict; not wandering; as, a close observer.
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17. (Phon.) Uttered with a relatively contracted opening of
the mouth, as certain sounds of e and o in French,
Italian, and German; -- opposed to open.
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{Close borough}. See under {Borough}.
{Close breeding}. See under {Breeding}.
{Close communion}, communion in the Lord's supper, restricted
to those who have received baptism by immersion.
{Close corporation}, a body or corporation which fills its
own vacancies.
{Close fertilization}. (Bot.) See {Fertilization}.
{Close harmony} (Mus.), compact harmony, in which the tones
composing each chord are not widely distributed over
several octaves.
{Close time}, a fixed period during which killing game or
catching certain fish is prohibited by law.
{Close vowel} (Pron.), a vowel which is pronounced with a
diminished aperture of the lips, or with contraction of
the cavity of the mouth.
{Close to the wind} (Naut.), directed as nearly to the point
from which the wind blows as it is possible to sail;
closehauled; -- said of a vessel.
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