close

Universal Words verb, noun-see also CLOSE verb window / door, etc. 1 to put sth into a position so that it covers an opening; to get into this position SYNSHUT: [VN] Would anyone mind if I closed the window? * She closed the gate behind her. * It's dark now-let's close the curtains. * I closed my eyes against the bright light. * [V] The doors open and close automatically. OPPOPEN book / umbrella, etc. 2 [VN] ~ sth (up) to move the parts of sth together so that it is no longer open SYNSHUT: to close a book / an umbrella OPPOPEN shop / store / business 3 ~ (sth) (to sb/sth) to make the work of a shop/store, etc. stop for a period of time; to not be open for people to use: [VN] [oftenpassive] The museum has been closed for renovation. * The road was closed to traffic for two days. * [V] What time does the bank close? * We close for lunch between twelve and two. OPPOPEN 4 (also close down, close sth<->down) if a company, shop/store, etc. closes, or if you close it, it stops operating as a business: [VN] The club was closed by the police. * [V] The hospital closed at the end of last year. * The play closed after just three nights. OPPOPEN end 5 to end or make sth end: [VN] to close a meeting / debate * to close a case / an investigation * to close an account (= to stop keeping money in a bank account) * The subject is now closed (= we will not discuss it again). * [V] The meeting will close at 10.00 p.m. * The offer closes at the end of the week. OPPOPEN finance 6 [V] to be worth a particular amount at the end of the day's business: Shares in the company closed at 265p. * closing prices [also V-ADJ] distance / difference 7 to make the distance or difference between two people or things smaller; to become smaller or narrower: [VN] These measures are aimed at closing the gap between rich and poor. * [V] The gap between the two top teams is closing all the time. hold firmly 8 ~ (sth) about / around / over sb/sth to hold sth/sb firmly: [VN] She closed her hand over his. [also V] IDIOMS close the book on sth to stop doing sth because you no longer believe you will be successful or will find a solution: The police have closed the book on the case (= they have stopped trying to solve it). close its doors (of a business, etc.) to stop trading: The factory closed its doors for the last time in 1997. close your mind to sth to refuse to think about sth as a possibility close ranks 1 if a group of people close ranks, they work closely together to defend themselves, especially when they are being criticized: It's not unusual for the police to close ranks when one of their officers is being investigated. 2 if soldiers close ranks, they move closer together in order to defend themselves moreatDOOR, EAR, EYEn. PHRASALVERBS close down (BrE) when a radio or television station closes down, it stops broadcasting at the end of the day relatednounCLOSE-DOWN close down