closer

closer
    adv 1: (comparative of `near' or `close') within a shorter
           distance; "come closer, my dear!"; "they drew nearer";
           "getting nearer to the true explanation" [syn: {nearer},
           {nigher}, {closer}]
    n 1: a person who closes something; "whoever is the closer has
         to turn out the lights and lock up"
    2: (baseball) a relief pitcher who can protect a lead in the
       last inning or two of the game [syn: {closer}, {finisher}]
    

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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Closer \Clos"er\, n.
   1. One who, or that which, closes; specifically, a boot
      closer. See under {Boot}.
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   2. A finisher; that which finishes or terminates.
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   3. (Masonry) The last stone in a horizontal course, if of a
      less size than the others, or a piece of brick finishing a
      course. --Gwilt.
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