Also 5 closser, 6 cloasure. [a. OF. closure that which encloses, a barrier:—L. clausūra, f. stem claus- of claud-ĕre to shut, close: see -URE. Sense 3 arose, partly at least, by phonetic confusion with CLOSER sb.1, although it might have been developed independently: cf. aperture, structure, etc.]
† 1. That which encloses, shuts in, or confines; a fence, wall, barrier, case, cover, setting, etc. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pers. T., ¶ 796. Beestes … that breketh the hegge or the closure [v.r. of the closur(e, closeure, clausure].
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., I. xiii. 35. With dyches and palis … and wyth closures made of tymbre.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 427. [They] opened the Barres and Closure.
c. 1590. Greene, Fr. Bacon (1630), 44. Scrowles … Wrapt in rich closures of fine burnisht gold.
1670. W. Simpson, Hydrol. Ess., 121. An avolation of spirituous parts through all Vessels and Closures.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metals (Cabinet Cycl.), II. 181. So as to form a closure about the case.
1871. B. Taylor, Faust, i. (1875), I. 20. The spirit world no closures fasten.
† b. more generally: Bound, limit, circuit. Obs.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. iii. 11. Within the guiltie Closure of thy Walls.
1613. Heywood, Brazen Age, II. ii. Wks. 1874, III. 236. [I will] catch them [birds] in the closure of this wire.
1640. G. Sandys, Christ’s Passion, 54. That fatal Ark … whose closure held Those two-leav’d Tables.
† 2. An entrenchment, fortress, fort. [So in late L.] Obs.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4890. Vp-on þe cop of þe cliffe a closure he fyndis, A palais.
a. 1470. Tiptoft, Cæsar, xii. (1530), 15. One fortresse or closure both for them and for his campe.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 146/2. Alured … going foorth of his closure, repaired to the campe of the Danish king.
1594. Greene, etc. Looking Glasse (1861), 123. Hide me in closure.
† 3. An enclosed place. Obs.
[Cf. 1386 in 1.]
1496–7. Act 12 Hen. VII., c. 11 § 2. The seid Manoirs with their … Medowes, Pastures, Closures, Woodis.
1598. Manwood, Lawes Forest, xxiv. § 5 (1615), 248 b. Any Coppies or Closure in the Purlieu, estraitening the Kings Deere from the Forest.
1609. Bible (Douay), Ezek. xlii. 7. An utter closure according to the celles.
† 4. The act of enclosing, shutting up, or confining; enclosure; the fact or condition of being enclosed or shut up. Obs.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 805. Now rayle hem, and of closure is noo doute.
1538. Churchw. Acc. St. Dunstan’s, Canterb. A lode of thornes for closure of the seid house.
1592. Wyrley, Armorie, iii. 154. My closure I with great impatience tooke.
1647. Husbandman’s Plea agst. Tithes, 35. In the chiltern parts of Buckinghamshire and Harfordshire, where the Land lyes in closure.
a. 1711. Ken, Edmund, Poet. Wks. 1721, II. 39. In sacred Convents every glad Recluse Thought it no Crime from Closure to break loose.
5. The act of closing or shutting.
1600. Holland, Livy, Transl. Pref. 2. Before Augustus’s second closure thereof [i.e., of the temple of Janus].
1676. Temple, Let. Williamson, Wks. 1731, II. 385. Before the Closure of this Pacquet.
1756. Nugent, Gr. Tour, France, IV. 103. The closure and the re-opening of the theatre.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., I. ii. (1864), 64. The wire must be acted on at both ends, by the closure of the circuit.
1879. Carpenter, Ment. Phys., I. ii. 29. The closure of the fingers in grasping.
b. Closed condition.
1845. Ld. Campbell, Chancellors (1857), I. xiii. 198. These straws … distend the book from its accustomed closure.
1887. J. Payn, in New York Independent, XXXIX. 1064/1. The tunnel was put in working order after fourteen months of closure.
† 6. An agreeing upon terms, a coming to an arrangement with; agreement, union, unity. Cf. CLOSE v. 14. Obs.
1647. Saltmarsh, Sparkl. Glory (1847), 148. In a pure spiritual closure, or unity of Spirit.
1649. Cromwell, Lett., lxi. 14 March (Carlyle). So much do I desire a closure with you.
1659. Rushw., Hist. Coll., I. 73. The Catholick King … pretended so much zeal to a Closure with England.
1668. Howe, Bless. Righteous (1825), 179. This … draws the … Soul into a closure and league with him.
† 7. The part or means by which anything is closed or fastened; a fastening, attachment. Obs.
1616–61. Holyday, Persius, 331. Claverius thinks that the knot or closure was adorn’d with some bright gemme.
1641. French, Distill., v. (1651), 134. Lute the closures with potters earth.
1685. J. Cooke, Marrow of Chirurg. (ed. 4), II. i. 166. After which, put a closure [i.e., napkin or diaper] to the Woman, and bid her keep her Legs close.
1729. Pope, Let. Swift, xliv. Wks. 1756, IX. 118 (J.). Without a seal, wafer, or any closure whatever.
† b. Applied to the fontanels of the skull. rare.
1569. R. Androse, trans. Alexis’ Secr., IV. II. 41. Make a plaister, and put it vpon the cloasure of children. Ibid., IV. II. 58. Lay it vpon the closure of the pacients heade.
† c. Arch. (See quot.) Obs.
1611. Cotgr., Lanterne … also, the scutcheon or closure of a Tymber vault, where the ends of the branches thereof doe meet.
1770. Lloyd, in Phil. Trans., LXI. 253. I could find no closure of the dome.
† d. A composition for closing the openings of vessels, a luting. Obs.
1647. French, Distill., i. (1651), 4. Take Loam and the white of an Egge, mix them into a Past…. This … is a good closure.
e. Building. The arrangement of bricks or stones at the end or corner of a wall, etc.; also † = CLOSER2 3, q.v. for quot.
1881. Mechanic, 546. The closure at the reveal should be a bond closure.
8. A bringing to a conclusion; end, close.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., V. iii. 134. Make a mutuall closure of our house.
1616. T. Godwin, Moses & Aaron (1655), 220. The feast of Pentecost which was the end and closure of their harvest.
1676. Row, Contn. Blair’s Autobiog., xii. (1848), 511. The treaty would come to a peaceable closure against that time.
1870. E. H. Pember, Trag. Lesbos, vii. 110.
| The point that brings the closure of thine own | |
| Marks but the outset of my suffering. |
9. spec. The closing of a debate in a legislative assembly by vote of the house or by other competent authority.
On the first introduction of rules giving the House of Commons this power in 1882 the principle was often called the clôture, the name applied to it in the French Assembly.
1882. Pall Mall Gaz., 16 Feb., 1/2. Q. What is the closure? A. The right of the House of Commons to say that a debate shall close when discussion has been exhausted. Ibid. (1887), 10 May, 1/1. To get through the seven lines took nearly twelve hours and three closures.
1887. Spectator, 28 May, 722/1. On Monday night the Closure was applied four times.
