to shut something so that it is no longer open
She closed the window when it started to rain.
Please close the door behind you so the heat stays in.
near in distance, time, or relationship
My school is very close to the bus stop.
The final exam is close, so I need to study.
to bring something to an end or to stop operating
The museum closes at six o'clock every evening.
The ceremony closed with a beautiful song.
near in space; not far away
Stand close so you will fit in the picture.
The cat followed close behind the girl.
The supermarket is very close, so we can walk there in five minutes.
Emma and her sister are close and talk every day.
✦ From Middle English clos, from Old French clos “ shut, enclosed,” from Latin clausus, past participle of claudere “to shut.”
to shut something or become shut
Please close the window; it's getting cold.
The store closes at 9 p.m.
✦ Same origin as adjective sense, with the meaning “to shut” developing in Middle English.
with very little difference; decided by a small margin
It was a close game, but our team won by one point.
The election results were close all night.
to bring something to an end, or to end
The speaker will close the ceremony with a song.
They closed the meeting after everyone agreed on the plan.
✦ Sense of “conclude” appears in 15th-century English, extending the idea of shutting to finishing an event.
near in space or time; not far
The cat was sitting close behind me without making a sound.
The comet passed close to Earth last night.
✦ Adverbial use grew from the adjective form in Middle English, retaining the idea of nearness.
the end or conclusion of something
At the close of the concert, the audience gave a standing ovation.
We discussed the budget near the close of the meeting.
✦ Noun sense recorded since the 14th century, referring to the act of shutting and later to the ending of an event.
with great attention, care, or detail
The detective studied the fingerprints closely with a magnifying glass.
You should read the instructions closely before assembling the furniture.
past tense and past participle of close
She closed the book and went to sleep.
The bank closed early because of the holiday.
not open to everyone; restricted or private
Membership to the club is closed to non-residents.
The meeting was closed to the public.
