close
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: klōz
ipa: /kləʊz/
enpr: klōz
ipa: /kloʊz/
rhymes: -əʊz
homophone: cloze
homophone: clothes stripped-by-parse_pron_post_template_fn
Forms: form: closes
Etymology: From Middle English closen (“to close, enclose”), partly continuing (in altered form) earlier Middle English clusen (“to close”) from Old English clȳsan (“to close, shut”); compare beclose, foreclose, etc.), and partly derived from Middle English clos (“close, shut up, confined, secret”, adjective), from Old French clos (“close, confined”, adjective), from Latin clausus (“shut up”, past participle), from claudere (“to bar, block, close, enclose, bring an end to, confine”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂w- (“key, hook, nail”), related to Latin clāvis (“key, deadbolt, bar”), clāvus (“nail, peg”), claustrum (“bar, bolt, barrier”), claustra (“dam, wall, barricade, stronghold”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κλείς (kleís, “bar, bolt, key”), German schließen (“to close, conclude, lock”), Dutch sluiten (“to close, conclude, lock”). Partially replaced Old English lūcan (“to close, lock, enclose”), (whence English lock). Doublet of clause.
Senses: examples: text: We owe them our thanks for bringing the project to a successful close.
text: His long and troubled life was drawing to a close.
ref: 1878, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Francis Atterbury”, in Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition:
glosses: An end or conclusion.
examples: text: The doors of plank were; their close exquisite.
ref: 1614–1615, Homer, “(please specify the book number)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615, →OCLC; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, […], volume (please specify the book number), London: John Russell Smith, […], 1857, →OCLC:
glosses: The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.
examples: text: Regardless of the situation, the minute you feel it's time for the close, try it.
ref: 1983, Charles B. Roth, Roy Alexander, Secrets of Closing Sales, page 110:
synonyms: closer
qualifier: sales
glosses: The point at the end of a sales pitch when the consumer is asked to buy.
examples: text: The intestine shocke, And furious cloze of ciuill Butchery.
ref: c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
glosses: A grapple in wrestling.
examples: text: At every close she made, the attending throng / Replied, and bore the burden of the song.
ref: 1700, [John] Dryden, “The Flower and the Leaf: Or, The Lady in the Arbour. A Vision.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
music
glosses: The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
music
glosses: A double bar marking the end.
topics: aeronautics
aerospace
aviation
business
engineering
lifestyle
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
tourism
transport
travel
glosses: The time when check-in staff will no longer accept passengers for a flight.
Synonyms: sense: end
word: end
sense: end
word: finale
Derived terms: bring to a close
close of business
close of play
close season
close time
come to a close
door close
draw to a close
letters close
sell past the close