7 VERB To close a road or border means to block it in order to prevent people from using it. □ [V n] The police had to close the road to traffic.
8 VERB To close a conversation, event, or matter means to bring it to an end or to complete it. □ [V n] DNA tests could close the case. □ [V -ed] The Prime Minister is said to now consider the matter closed. □ [V -ing] …the closing ceremony of the National Political Conference.
9 VERB If you close a bank account, you take all your money out of it and inform the bank that you will no longer be using the account. □ [V n] He had closed his account with the bank five years earlier.
10 VERB On the stock market or the currency markets, if a share price or a currency closes at a particular value, that is its value at the end of the day's business. [BUSINESS ] □ [V prep/adv] Dawson shares closed at 219p, up 5p. □ [V adj] The U.S. dollar closed higher in Tokyo today.
11 N‑SING The close of a period of time or an activity is the end of it. To bring or draw something to a close means to end it. □ [+ of ] By the close of business, they knew the campaign was a success. □ Brian's retirement brings to a close a glorious chapter in British football history.
12 → see also closed , closing
13 to close the door on something → see door
14 to close your eyes to something → see eye
15 to close ranks → see rank
▸ close down → see close ➊ 6
▸ close off PHRASAL VERB To close something off means to separate it from other things or people so that they cannot go there. □ [V P n] Police closed off about 12 blocks of a major San Francisco thoroughfare for today's march.
▸ close up
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone closes up a building, they shut it completely and securely, often because they are going away. □ [V P n] Just close up the shop. □ [V -ed P ] The summer house had been closed up all year.
2 PHRASAL VERB If an opening, gap, or something hollow closes up , or if you close it up , it becomes closed or covered. □ [V P ] Don't use cold water as it shocks the blood vessels into closing up. [Also V n P ]
➋ close ◆◆◆ /kloʊ s/ (closer , closest )
→ Please look at categories 19 and 20 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ after v] If one thing or person is close to another, there is only a very small distance between them. □ [+ to ] Her lips were close to his head and her breath tickled his ear. □ The man moved closer, lowering his voice. □ The tables were pushed close together so diners could talk across the aisles. ● close|ly ADV [ADV after v, ADV -ed] □ Wherever they went they were closely followed by security men.
2 ADJ You say that people are close to each other when they like each other very much and know each other very well. □ She and Linda became very close. □ [+ to ] As a little girl, Karan was closest to her sister Gail. □ I shared a house with a close friend from school. ● close|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ to ] I asked whether her closeness to her mother ever posed any problems.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Your close relatives are the members of your family who are most directly related to you, for example your parents and your brothers or sisters. □ …large changes such as the birth of a child or death of a close relative.
4 ADJ [usu ADJ n, Also v-link ADJ to n] A close ally or partner of someone knows them well and is very involved in their work. □ He was once regarded as one of Mr Brown's closest political advisers. □ [+ to ] A senior source close to the Prime Minister told us: 'Our position has not changed.'
5 ADJ [ADJ n] Close contact or co-operation involves seeing or communicating with someone often. □ Both nations are seeking closer links with the West. □ He lived alone, keeping close contact with his three grown-up sons. ● close|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ [+ with ] We work closely with the careers officers in schools.
6 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If there is a close connection or resemblance between two things, they are strongly connected or are very similar. □ There is a close connection between pain and tension. □ Clare's close resemblance to his elder sister invoked a deep dislike in him. ● close|ly ADV [ADV before v, ADV -ed] □ …a pattern closely resembling a cross. □ …fruits closely related to the orange.
7 ADJ Close inspection or observation of something is careful and thorough. □ He discovered, on closer inspection, that the rocks contained gold. □ Let's have a closer look. ● close|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ If you look closely at the problems in society, you'll see evidence of discrimination.
8 ADJ A close competition or election is won or seems likely to be won by only a small amount. □ It is still a close contest between two leading opposition parties. □ It's going to be very close. ● close|ly ADV [usu ADV -ed] □ This will be a closely fought race.
9 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are close to something or if it is close , it is likely to happen or come soon. If you are close to doing something, you are likely to do it soon. □ [+ to ] She sounded close to tears. □ A senior White House official said the agreement is close. □ [+ to ] He's close to signing a contract.