Close

Close, klōs, adj. shut up: with no opening: confined, unventilated: stifling: narrow: stingy: near, in time or place: intimate: compact, as opposed to discursive: crowded: hidden: reserved: private: secret.—adv. in a close manner: tightly; nearly: densely.—n. an enclosed place: a small enclosed field: a narrow passage of a street: the precinct of a cathedral.—adjs. Close′-band′ed, closely united; Close′-barred, firmly closed; Close′-bod′ied, fitting close to the body.—n. Close′-corporā′tion, a corporation which fills up its own vacancies, without outside interference.—adjs. Close′-fist′ed, Close′-hand′ed, penurious, covetous; Close′-grained, with the fibres, &c., close together, compact; Close′-hauled, noting the trim of a ship when sailing as near as possible to the wind.—adv. Close′ly.—ns. Close′ness; Close′-stool, a chamber utensil enclosed in a box or stool; Close′-sea′son, Close′-time, a time of the year when it is against the law to kill certain animals, esp. game.—adj. Close′-tongued (Shak.), cautious in speaking. [Fr. clos, shut—L. claudĕre, clausum, to shut.]