Close a. and adv.

Forms: 4–5 cloos, 4–6 clos, 5 cloce, (5–6 closse, 8 closs), 4– close. Also north. 5 cloyse, cloese, 5–6 clois(e. [a. F. clos:—L. claus-um closed, shut, pa. pple. of claud-ĕre to shut. The s has preserved its sound through being truly final, as in base, ace, gross, etc., the final e being only a graphic expedient to mark the long vowel, as was the Sc. oy, oi.]

  A.  adj.

  I.  Of closed or shut up state or condition, and its results (as in the weather, 6), with the secondary associations of concealment, exclusiveness, narrowness, etc.

  1.  gen. Closed, shut; having no part left open. Often as extension of predicate, as in to shut close. (Cf. B 1.)

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., A. 183. Wyth yȝen open & mouth ful clos.

[1331.  Literæ Cantuar., 24 Nov. (Rolls), I. 410. Vous mandoms une lettre close et patente.]

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 11152. Þe troyens … þe toun ȝatys Keppit full cloyse.

1502.  Priv. Purse Exp. Eliz. of York (1830), 46. The close carre.

1547.  Boorde, Brev. Health, lxiv. 28. Under a vaute … or any other close house.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva (1677), § 351. Stop the hole close.

1684.  W. W., New Help to Discourse, 272. A close mouth catcheth no flies.

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 144/2. Zenobia … compared Logick to a close hand, and Oratory to the same hand opened.

1794.  J. Hutton, Philos. Light, etc. 247. Including … the inflammable materials in closs vessels.

1867.  Trollope, Chron. Barset, I. viii. 63. I’ve brought a close carriage for him.

1873.  Act 36 & 37 Vict., c. 88. Sched. 1, Hatches with open gratings, instead of the close hatches … usual in merchant vessels.

  b.  Her. of wings. Close crown: = F. couronne close: see CROWN.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, I. ix. 135. Scho … woir about hir hals, Of gold also the clos or dowble croun.

1610.  Guillim, Heraldry, III. xix. (1660), 213. In the Blazoning of Fowles … if their Wings be not displaied, they shall be said to be borne close.

1766–87.  Porny, Heraldry, Gloss.

  c.  transf. of weather, season (see quots.).

1805.  Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., I. 421. Close weather; that is, when the snow lies so deep as to render it necessary to hand-feed their flocks of sheep.

1820.  Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., 266. When the ice … occurs so strong … as to prevent … the advance northward beyond the latitude of 75° or 76°, it is said to be a close season.

  d.  Of vowel-sounds: Pronounced with partial closing of the lips, or with contraction of the oral cavity. Opposed to open. (In F. fermé.)

1760.  Baretti, Dict. Eng. & Ital., II. Introd. p. ii. E and O have in some Italian words, two distinct sounds each; one called … aperto, open; the other chiuso, close.

1876.  Douse, Grimm’s Law, App. 179. It raises a close sound in alms, and perhaps in behalf.

  2.  Enclosed or shut in, esp. with walls or barriers; shut up, confined, narrow. Const. in, from.

1489.  Caxton, Faytes of A., IV. xi. 258. Two champyons befyght eche other within a clos felde [vii. 245 has closed felde].

1529.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., III. Wks. 1247/1. Saynt Brigittes order … & … al close religious houses.

1591.  Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 235. To close prison he commanded her.

1611.  Bible, 2 Sam. xxii. 46. Strangers shall fade away, and they shall bee afraid out of their close places.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav. (1682), A iv. In their own close ground.

1716.  Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. vii. 21. The streets are very close and … narrow.

1793.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 206. If kept close from the Air, it would preserve its virtue.

1824.  Scott, Redgauntlet, let. vii. The space contained close alleys and open walks.

1845.  Mrs. S. C. Hall, Whiteboy, I. xii. 197. The landscape was closer than Irish landscapes usually are.

  b.  transf. of a siege.

1677.  Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., II. x. 227. Though it be otherwise in a close Siege.

1796.  Nelson, 3 July, in Nicolas, Disp. (1845), II. 201. A very close blockade of Leghorn.

  3.  Shut up in prison or the like, strictly confined; also applied to confinement of such a kind.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 323. Clos in a chambre by her self.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 223. Kept close in a Castell.

1597.  Daniel, Civ. Wares, III. xx. That Richard should remain for evermore, close-prisoner.

1677.  C. Hatton, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 146. They were under soe close a restraint.

1691.  Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 707. Was kept up close in a house of Lunaticks at Hogsden alias Hoxton.

1711.  Budgell, Spect., No. 116, ¶ 1. Close Confinement in the Bastile seven Years.

a. 1714.  Burnet, Own Time (1766), II. 3. They were made close prisoners, not to be visited without leave from the King, or the House.

1812.  Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., VIII. 442. Captain —— is in close arrest.

  4.  Shut up from observation; concealed, occult, hidden, secret; secluded.

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 182. Her close envie tho she spradde.

1526.  Tindale, Matt. x. 26. There is no thinge so close, that shall not be openned.

1554.  Bradford, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. App. xxix. 83. My hid and close sins.

1607.  Dekker, Wh. Babylon, Wks. 1873, II. 208. When close plots faile, vse open violence.

1614.  Bp. Hall, Recoll. Treat., 1029. Hee could finde out their closest sinnes.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., XIII. 421. The closest caverns of the grot she sought.

1820.  Keats, St. Agnes, xix. To lead him in close secrecy.

  b.  Private, secluded, snug. arch. or Obs.

1571.  in Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. App. lix. 199. He was lodged in the closyst chambre in the howse.

1581.  W. Stafford, Exam. Compl., i. (1876), 14. We … had but skant sit downe in a close Parloure.

1628.  Britain’s Ida, II. in Spenser’s Wks. (1862), 498/2. From a close bower this dainty musique flow’d.

1750.  Johnson, Rambler, No. 80, ¶ 6. We congratulate each other … upon a close room, an easy chair.

  c.  in To keep close, lie close, etc. (Cf. B 1.)

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 13846. Thus he keppit hym full cloise.

1468.  W. Worcester, in Paston Lett., No. 582, II. 314. I pray you kepe thys letter close to your sylf.

1548.  Udall, etc. trans. Erasm. Par. Matt., 125 a. Kepe close (quoth they) the thynges that ye haue sene.

1576.  Gascoigne, Compl. Philomene (Arb.), 103. When Progne red the writ … She kept it close.

1611.  Bible, Pref., 3. How shall they vnderstand that which is kept close in an vnknowen tongue?

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. iii. 61. To persuade our people to lie close, and not be seen.

1846.  Prescott, Ferd. & Is., I. x. 428. Lying close during the day.

  † 5.  Enclosed with clouds or darkness. Obs.

1532.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 625. The Scottes … did come secret upon the close nyght.

1586.  J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 167/2. A verie darke and close night.

  6.  Of the atmosphere or weather: Like that of a closed up room; confined, stifling, without free circulation; the opposite of fresh.

[1533.  J. Heywood, Play of Weather (Percy Soc. 20), xvii. Wynde rayne nor froste nor sonshyne wold she haue But fayre close wether, her beauty to saue.]

1591.  Percivall, Sp. Dict., Bochorno, a close hot weather.

1599.  T. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 48. Keepe them not in roomes too hot and close.

1748.  Anson’s Voy., II. vii. 213. We had now for several days together close and sultry weather.

1835.  Marryat, Jac. Faithf., i. The little cabin being so unpleasantly close.

1855.  Bain, Senses & Int., II. ii. § 8 (1864), 170. The opposite of freshness is shown in the close or suffocating odours.

  7.  Practising secrecy: reserved, reticent, uncommunicative; not open.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 3939. A clene man of counsell, with a cloise hert.

1568.  Grafton, Chron. Edw. V., II. 758. He was close and secret, and a depe dissimuler.

1595.  Shaks., John, IV. ii. 72. That close aspect of his. Ibid. (1596), 1 Hen. IV., II. iii. 113. For secrecie, No Lady closer.

1727.  Swift, Imit. Horace. They stand amaz’d, and think me grown The closest mortal ever known.

1852.  Dickens, Bleak Ho., xi. He was too close to name his circumstances to me.

  8.  Close-fisted, stingy, niggardly, penurious.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 496. He that is too close a holdfast of his own.

1691–8.  Norris, Pract. Disc., IV. 339. How Close and Stingy do they grow as the World thrives upon them.

1721.  Swift, Wonder of Wonders. He hath the reputation to be a close, griping fellow.

1831.  Lytton, Godolphin, I. xii. 105. For though they called him close, and so forth, my lady, yet he was generous to others.

  9.  Not open to public access or competition; confined or restricted to a privileged few. Close borough: see BOROUGH 3 c.

1812.  Parl. Debate, 8 May, in Exam., 10 May, 298/1. Mr. D. Giddy … maintained that close boroughs were absolutely necessary to the safety of the Constitution!

1832.  Blackw. Mag., April, 595.

1844.  Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., viii. (1862), 102. The possession … of close or nomination boroughs by the government, or by the peers.

1878.  Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 22. These … filled up the vacancies in the Hundred from among themselves, like the members of a close college.

1879.  Froude, Cæsar, viii. 79. The College of Priests had been … a close corporation, which filled up its own numbers.

  10.  Of a season; Closed for the purposes of sport; during which the killing of certain kinds of game or fish is illegal.

1814.  Scott, Wav., xviii. Though close-time was then unknown, the broods of grouse were yet too young for the sportsman.

1869.  Daily News, 2 July, 5/1. A ‘close’ period plainly ought to be observed for them. Ibid. (1880), 9 Dec., 5/1. The infallible result of spearing salmon in close time must be in the long run the sending of the salmon to keep company with the dodo.

  † 11.  Strict, rigorous, severe. Obs.

1464.  Paston Lett., No. 496, II. 171. Your holy brytheryn that ben of that devowt and clos conversation.

1529.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., II. Wks. 1170/1. Very vertuous was this Ladye, and of a veri vertuous place a close religion.

1770.  Wesley, Wks. (1872), III. 389. She had close trials from her poor, apostate husband.

  b.  In close mourners, there was prob. originally a reference to the seclusion of the mourners; close mourning came at length to be = deep mourning.

1654.  Ld. Orrery, Parthenissa (1676), 606. That all … should, for the revolution of twelve Moons, wear close Mourning.

1670.  Brooks, Wks. (1867), VI. 132. They muffled up their heads and faces as a token of great grief and sorrow, as close mourners do with us.

1708.  Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), VI. 368. On Sunday the court goes into close mourning.

1708.  Swift, Bickerstaff Detected. Two apartments hung in close mourning … and only a strip of bays round the other rooms.

  12.  Of a ram: see quot.

1641.  Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 1. Close tuppes are such as have both the stones in the ridge of the backe, and are therefore very difficult to geld.

1796.  Marshall, E. Yorksh. Words (E.D.S., B. 22), Close teeap, a male sheep, with both testicles within the barrel.

  II.  Of proximity in space, time, form or state. The primary notion is that of having intervening space or spaces closed up, whereby the parts are in immediate contact with, or near to each other.

  13.  Having the atoms or component parts very near together: a. Of substances: Dense or compact in texture or consistency; ‘without interstices or vacuities’ (J.).

a. 1500.  Orolog. Sapient., in Anglia, X. 371. Not a foule creatoure but þe maker of alle thinge, not a close filthe but þe wisdome of god becomen man.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva (1677), § 212. If you speak on the further side of a Close Wall … you shall not be heard.

1648.  Wilkins, Dædalus, II. xii. in Math. & Philos. Wks. (1802), II. 224–5 (J.). Oil … of so close and tenacious a substance, that it may slowly evaporate.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., II. iv. § 4. The water made itself way through the pores of that very close metal.

1883.  J. Millington, Are we to read backwards? 76. The paper … should have a close, fine texture.

  b.  Of aggregates of things: Dense or compact in arrangement, e.g., of thickets, etc., close-planted; of writing, compressed, cramped.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, A viij. That my writing had not been so close.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 372. In close Plantations.

1747.  Berkeley, Lett., 10 Feb. Wks. 1871, IV. 313. A copy of the Will, written in a close hand.

1824.  Scott, Redgauntlet, let. vii. Thou hast in these close pages [of a letter] the fruits of my tediousness.

1827.  Steuart, Planter’s G. (1828), 347. In respect to Close-woods.

  c.  fig. Of literary style: Condensed, pithy (obs.). Of reasoning: Opposed to loose or discursive.

1670.  Baxter, Cure Ch. Div., Pref. I preacht … in a larger and a closer manner on this subject.

1704.  Hearne, Duct. Hist. (1714), I. 129. Thucydides is always Close and Short.

1710.  Steele, Tatler, No. 212, ¶ 3. The greatest Beauty of Speech to be close and intelligible.

1735.  Pope, Donne’s Sat., IV. 72. ‘But, sir, of writers?’—‘Swiit, for closer style, But Hoadley for a period of a mile.’

1756–82.  J. Warton, Ess. Pope, II. 58. The Essay on Man is as close a piece of argument … as perhaps can be found in verse.

1809–10.  Coleridge, Friend (1865), 30. A close reasoner.

1825.  Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 1656. My endeavours … may occasion ‘close’ readers to object, that it was … discursive.

1842.  H. Rogers, Introd. Burke’s Wks., 74. His powers of abstract reasoning or of close analysis.

  14.  Of two or more parts or things in local relation: ‘Joined without any intervening distance or space.’ (J.); in immediate proximity, very near.

  App. first used as complement of predicate, as in to cling, keep, lie, sit, stand, stick close; hence passing into an adv.; see B 1 a. Occas. more adjectival, as in quot. 1840.

1489.  [see B 1 a].

1840.  Lardner, Geom., 209. When the parallels … are very close together.

  b.  Hence, as attribute of nouns of condition, e.g., close order, close rank, or of action, as close fight, close combat, with various elliptical extensions, as close distance, etc.

1625.  Markham, Souldier’s Accid., 18. The second Distance … is called Close, and is a foote and a halfe distance from man to man.

a. 1649.  Drumm. of Hawth., Jas. V., Wks. 105. They dared both fight in close arms.

1727.  A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., I. xix. 220. Closs Fighting with Sword and Target.

1796–7.  Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1803), 4. Close files; is the distance taken before dismounting, when each man’s boot-top touches, but without pressing. Ibid., 107. The formation from close column into line. Ibid., Plate 1, A Regiment formed at Close Order.

1808.  Scott, Marm., I. v. But in close fight a champion grim.

1852.  Grote, Greece, II. lxxx. X. 474. Eminent for close-rank fighting.

1879.  Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 216. Close formation … in which the men stand in each rank as close together shoulder to shoulder as the free use of their weapons will allow.

  15.  Of proximity or approximation to, or contact with (anything): As near as possible, very near, immediate.

  Orig. in predicate, and passing into the adv.: see BIB.

  b.  Hence, with substantives of action or position.

1681–6.  J. Scott, Chr. Life (1747), III. 7. Such near and close Access to his most holy Majesty.

1792.  S. Rogers, Pleas. Mem., II. 200. With every claim of close affinity.

1872.  Morley, Voltaire (1886), 17. To come into the closest contact with the practical affairs of the world.

1886.  F. H. H. Guillemard, Cruise Marchesa, II. 270. Batanta is in close proximity to Salwatti.

1888.  Adm. Colomb, in Times, 6 Jan., 13/3, heading. Close shaving as the cause of collisions at sea. Ibid. There are no collisions where each ship has tried to give the other a ‘close shave.’

  c.  Naut. Close to (also by, on, upon) a wind, and similar expressions: see quot. 1867 (In both adj. and adv. uses.)

1627.  Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ix. 39. You set your sailes so sharp as you can to lie close by a wind.

1666.  Lond. Gaz., No. 60/4. Keeping their wind close to make the Leewards. Ibid., 66/4. They … stood all off to Sea, close on a wind.

1748.  Anson’s Voy., II. vii. 212. One of our prizes was ordered to stand close in with it [the Island].

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Close to the wind, when her head is just so near the wind as to fill the sails without shaking them.

a. 1872.  N. P. Willis, in Forster Life Dickens (1872), I. v. 87. Collarless and buttoned up, the very personification, I thought, of ‘a close sailer to the wind.’

  d.  fig. Pressing hardly. Cf. hard.

1742.  Richardson, Pamela, III. 222. Pray speak to your Lady: She is too close upon us.

  16.  Fitting tightly to the body, or head; close-fitting (clothes, cap, bonnet, etc.).

1488.  Nottingham Corporation Rec. MS. 1373, 96. Unum par caligarum vocatarum closse hosse ad valentiam ijs. ijd. Ibid. (1509), MS. 1382, 114. Pro uno pari caligarum vocatarum closse hose.

1632.  Massinger & Field, Fatal Dowry, IV. i. Fight with close breeches.

1671.  Charente, Let. Customs, 41. A close Coat of Broad-cloth.

1738.  Common Sense (1739), II. 84. He habits himself in a Close-Frock.

1788.  Priestley, Lect. Hist., III. xv. 129. The Roman cloaths were not made close, but large, and loose.

1824.  Scott, Redgauntlet, let. vii. Her simple close cap.

c. 1875.  M. B. Hunt, Aunt Tabitha’s Waifs, iii. 22. Aunt Tabitha’s shawl and close bonnet.

  17.  Closely attached, intimate, confidential: said of persons and relations.

1577–87.  Holinshed, Chron., I. 87/2. Letters sent to him from some close friends.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 80, ¶ 1. A close Intimacy between their Parents.

1815.  Scribbleomania, 197. The close alliance … between this country and the Peninsula.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 257. A close friendship had arisen between the girls.

1859.  Tennyson, Geraint & Enid, 22. Seeing them so tender and so close.

  18.  fig. Of approximation, resemblance, etc.

1718.  Freethinker, No. 101. 327. I shall endeavour at a close Translation of the Remainder.

c. 1750.  Chatham, Lett. Nephew, i. 1. Your translation … is very close to the sense of the original.

1794.  Paley, Evid., II. vi. (1817), 160. In close conformity with the Scripture account.

1860.  Hawthorne, Marb. Faun, i. The resemblance is very close and very strange.

  19.  Of examination, attention, etc.: Directed strictly and closely to the subject of consideration; strict, minute, searching.

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., I. ii. § 1. 25. We now come to a closer, and more particular consideration of the Histories.

1772.  Priestley, Inst. Relig. (1782), II. 168. Well worth the closest attention.

1781.  Sir J. Reynolds, Journ. Flanders & Holl., Wks. 1797, II. 87 (R.). The works of D. Teniers, jun. are worthy the closest attention of a painter, who desires to excel in the mechanical knowledge of his art.

1805.  Med. Jrnl., XIV. 411. Confirmed by the closest investigation.

1856.  E. A. Bond, Russia at Close 16th C. (Hakluyt Soc.), Introd. p. lxiv.–lxv. Finch, under a close cross-questioning, broke down in his story.

  20.  Said of a contest of any kind in which the two sides are very nearly equal in numbers or strength.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 146. Long and vehement debates and close divisions.

Mod.  There was a very close contest for the prize.

  B.  adv. (No strict dividing line can be drawn between predicative uses of the adjective, and the adverbial use into which these gradually pass; but where the latter is fully developed, closely is now preferred in ordinary prose.)

  1.  In (or into) a position in which the intervening space is closed up, so that there is no interval; in immediate contact or proximity; as near as can be, very near. Esp. with stand, sit, lie, stick, cling, keep, hold, press, etc., or with vbs. of motion, as come, bring, etc.

  a.  Of the mutual proximity of two or more things. (Often with the addition of together.)

1489.  Caxton, Faytes of A., I. ix. 24. To kepe hem self clos togidre.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 301. They roade … close together in good aray. Ibid., II. 524. The Englishe men kept themselves so close, that their enemies coulde have no advauntage of them.

1589.  Pappe w. Hatchet (1844), 17. All his workes bound close, are at least sixe sheetes in quarto.

1611.  Bible, 1 Macc. xii. 50. They encouraged one another, and went close together, prepared to fight.

1614.  Bp. Hall, Recollect. Treat., 852. Let us pile up all close together.

1633.  G. Herbert, Temple, Providence, xxxiv. Where all the guests sit close.

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 147. The farms lie pretty close all the way.

  b.  Of the proximity of one thing to another. With to, on, upon, about, beside, behind, below, etc.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1196. The clubbe … That in couerte the kynge helde closse to hym seluene.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 12501. Thurgh the claterand clowdes clos to the heuyn.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 263. One to go … close to the sea side.

1601.  Shaks., Jul. C., IV. iii. 164. Now sit we close about this Taper heere.

1611.  Bible, Prov. xviii. 24. There is a friend that sticketh closer then a brother. Ibid., Jer. xlii. 16. The famine whereof yee were afraid, shall follow close after you in Egypt, and there ye shall die.

1656.  Cowley, Davideis, I. note 46. Naioth was a place in, or close by Rama.

1664.  Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 190. Close to the Ground.

1712.  Steele, Spect., No. 514, ¶ 3. Here I kept close to my guide.

1885.  Law Rep. 10 Appeal Cases 379. The dam, which is close to the side of the road.

  c.  Naut. Close to a wind, etc.: see A 15 c.

  d.  fig. Of other than the literal relation of space.

1576.  Fleming, Panoplie Ep., 409. To sit close at your book.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 44, ¶ 5. Be sure you stick close to my Words. Ibid. (1712), Spect., No. 466, ¶ 1. He keeps close to the Characters he represents.

1732.  Berkeley, Alciphr., dial. 1 § 4, Wks. 1871, II. 30. Keep close to the point.

1788.  Franklin, Autobiog., Wks. 1840, I. 120. Sticking close to my business.

1883.  Stubbs’ Mercantile Gaz., 8 Nov., 982/2. A falling-off in British imports of close upon 50 per cent.

1884.  Gustafson, Found. Death, i. (ed. 3), 6. Though for close on two thousand years a landless people.

1888.  Manville Fenn, Off to Wilds, xx. 147. It was getting close upon noon.

  † e.  ‘Full to the point; home’ (J.). Obs.

1668.  Dryden, Dram. Poesy, 6 (J.). I am ingaging in a large dispute, where the arguments are not like to reach close on either side.

  † 2.  Secretly, covertly. Obs.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 241 (Mätz.). Siluestris Merlyn … prophecies … Openliche, nouȝt so cloos [apertius] As Merlyn Ambros.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., IX. (1682), 377. Peter of Arragon contrived his purpose so close.

1650.  Fuller, Pisgah, II. viii. 176. He hid an hundred Prophets, so close, that neither foes nor friends knew thereof.

  3.  In strict confinement. Also † Close up.

1562.  Apol. Priv. Mass. (1850), 20. Have all the Communicants in one place close up.

1616.  Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 122. Shut vp a dogge close in some place for three daies.

1647–8.  Cotterell, Davila’s Hist. Fr. (1678), 36. Baily … was laid close up; and by order from the King … was committed to prison.

  4.  Tightly, fast, so as to leave no interstices, outlets or openings.

1596.  Harington, in Metam. Ajax (1814), 9. Close plastered with good lime and hair.

1684.  R. Waller, Nat. Exper., 25. Then fasten, and close stop the two Canes together … with Cement.

1715.  Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 130. It shuts close. Ibid., 131. It will be close shut.

  † 5.  Completely, quite, clean. Obs. Sc.

1637.  Rutherford, Lett., lxxxviii. (1862), I. 227. When we should be close out of love and conceit of any masked and forded louer.

1637–50.  Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 251. To take closse away (if possible) this diversitie of judgment.

  6.  Constantly. Sc.

1825.  Jamieson, s.v., ‘Do you ay get a present when you gang to see your auntie?’ ‘Aye, close.’

Mod. Sc.  He is close there.

  7.  In various senses, in which CLOSELY is now the ordinary word.

1642.  Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., I. ix. 24. It is good to follow the light close.

1667.  Dryden, Ess. Dram. Poesie, Wks. 1725, I. 20. Not like to reach close on either side.

1673.  Marvell, Reh. Transp., II. 195. I will explain myself as distinctly as I can, and as close as possible.

1703.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 199. Screw your Pike wider or closer, according as the length of your Work requires.

1727.  Swift, Country Post. A mouse that was close pursued.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist., VII. 241. When we look closer.

1833.  Thirlwall, in Philol. Museum, II. 160. The closer they are examined, the more suspicious do they appear. Ibid., II. 559. They occur in Plato most frequently where he is imitating Socrates closest.

  8.  Also commonly used in combination (more or less permanent) with pa. pples.: see C 2.

  C.  Combinations.

  1.  Parasynthetic, as close-curtained, -eared, -headed, -hearted, -jointed, -meshed, -minded, -mouthed, -tempered, -tongued, -visaged, etc.

1479.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 427. That no maner of personne goo a mommyng with cloce visaged.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 770. Whispering conspirator With close-tongued treason.

1599.  Massinger, etc. Old Law, V. i. Justice … Should ever be close-eared, and open-mouthed.

1625.  K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, V. iii. 337. Men could hardly be close-hearted to such as they affected.

1634.  Milton, Comus, 554. The litter of close-curtained Sleep.

1854.  H. Miller, Sch. & Schm. (1858), 223. The reputation of being … ‘close-minded.’

1861.  Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., VI. 32. Close-headed Alpine Sedge.

1875.  J. H. Bennet, Winter Medit., I. v. 132. A very close-meshed bag net.

1881.  Philada. Press, 8 June, 2. They set to work very close-mouthed.

  2.  The adv. with participles, as close-banded, -barred, -buttoned, -clad, -clapped, -clipt, -cropped, -cut, -drawn, -fitting, -grated, -kept, -pent, -shaven, -shut, -standing, -woven, etc.

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 67. Close clad with burnished armoure.

1602.  2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., I. ii. What cares he for modest close coucht termes.

1655.  H. Vaughan, Silex Scint., 62. Thy curtains are close-drawn.

1711.  Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), III. 135. With his Hypothesis tack’d to him, and his Opinions so close-sticking.

1768–74.  Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), I. 481. Learned and close-thinking men.

1784.  Cowper, Task, IV. 777. Sad witnesses how close-pent man regrets The country.

1814.  Wordsw., White Doe, IV. 51. Close-clipt foliage green and tall.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., xx. The close-press’d leaves unoped for many an age.

1869.  E. A. Parkes, Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3), 290. Close-cut grass.

1870.  Bryant, Iliad, II. XXI. 306. Shut the close-fitting portals.

  3.  Special combs.: close-bed, a BOX-BED; † close-bow Sc., a closed bag or vessel; close-butts (Ship-building), see quot.; † close-guard, a guard in fence; hence To lie at close-guard; close-harbo(u)r, a harbor enclosed by breakwaters or excavated in the shore; close-play, see quot.; close-rolls, the rolls in which close-writs, private indentures, and recognizances, are recorded; † close-sciences, provincial name for the single Dame’s Violet (Hesperis Matronalis); † close-shuts, windows that close; close-sight, the BACKSIGHT of a gun or rifle; close-string, see quot.; close-time, see A 10; † close-wort, the plant Hen-bane (Hyoscyamus); close-writs, grants given to private persons for particular purposes, under the great seal.

1815.  Pennecuik, Tweeddale, 821 (Jam.). The *close bed is … where the place of curtains is supplied by a roof, ends, and back of wooden deal.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot., III. 396. The Scottis hirdis … Of scrymplit ledder mony *closbow maid, Round as ane ball, of mony barkit skin.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., *Close-butts.

1874.  Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 573/1. Close-butts, a fayed or rabbeted joint where the parts are so closely fitted or driven as to dispense with calking.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. v. § 8. Desirous … to lie at a *close-guard, and offer as little play as may be on either side.

1614.  Bp. Hall, Recollect. Treat., 886. *Close harbours of discontentment.

1726.  Shelvocke, Voy. round World, xi. (1757), 304. A good close harbour a little to the southward of us.

1593.  W. Barley, in Stainer and Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, Thou shalt not neede but to remoove those fingers which thou shalt be forced, which manner of handling we call *close or covert play.

1612.  Davies, Why Ireland, etc. 114. Found amongst the *Close-Rolles in the Tower of London.

1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, cxvi. § 2. 377. Dames Violets is called … in English Damaske Violets … and *close Sciences.

1640.  Parkinson, Theat. Bot., 628. In the West parts … double sciney, and the single close sciney, but Gerard saith close sciences.

[1879.  Prior, Plant-n., Sciney, no doubt, arisen from its specific name Damascena, understood as Dame’s Scena.]

1672.  W. Hughes, Flower Gard. (1683), 25. Queens Gilliflowers, or close-Siences, as some call them, are in flower in May, June and July.

1615.  Markham, Eng. Housew., II. vi. (1668), 156. *Close-shuts or draw-windows to keep out the Frosts and Storms.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., *Close-sight.

1876.  Gwilt, Archit., Gloss., *Close-string, in dog-legged stairs, a staircase without an open newel.

c. 1450.  Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 564/39. Apolinaris, *closwort.