Close has 43 different meanings across 5 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Adverb · Proper Noun
the temporal end; the concluding time
"the stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell"
"the market was up at the finish"
"they were playing better at the close of the season"
the last section of a communication
"in conclusion I want to say..."
the concluding part of any performance
"The audience gave a standing ovation for the close of the concert, cheering as the final notes faded away."
An end or conclusion.
"The farmers fenced off a large, close pasture to keep their sheep safe from wandering into the woods."
An enclosed field.
In plain English: A close is a small, enclosed area of land surrounded by hedges or fences where animals can graze.
"He is always quick to close any door he passes."
Usage: Do not use the noun "close" to mean an enclosed field; instead, reserve it for referring to a narrow street in old towns or a small open space between buildings. This usage is common in British English but rarely appears in American English.
cease to operate or cause to cease operating
"The owners decided to move and to close the factory"
"My business closes every night at 8 P.M."
"close up the shop"
finish or terminate (meetings, speeches, etc.)
"The meeting was closed with a charge by the chairman of the board"
complete a business deal, negotiation, or an agreement
"We closed on the house on Friday"
"They closed the deal on the building"
be priced or listed when trading stops
"The stock market closed high this Friday"
"My new stocks closed at $59 last night"
cause a window or an application to disappear on a computer desktop
"I clicked the red button in the corner of the browser to close the tab I was no longer using."
change one's body stance so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact
"As he prepared for the powerful swing, the boxer adjusted his close stance by shifting his front shoulder and lead foot directly toward the incoming punch."
come together, as if in an embrace
"Her arms closed around her long lost relative"
finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead
"The relief pitcher closed with two runs in the second inning"
To remove a gap.
"He pushed the sliding door until it fully closed the narrow gap between the two rooms."
To obstruct (an opening).
"The heavy curtains were drawn to close off the window from the prying eyes of the neighbors."
In plain English: To close something means to shut it so it is no longer open.
"Please close the door behind you when you leave."
Usage: Use "close" as a verb when you shut something up or fill a gap to eliminate space between two objects. Avoid using it to mean "near," which requires the adjective form "close."
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
"close to noon"
"how close are we to town?"
"a close formation of ships"
close in relevance or relationship
"a close family"
"we are all...in close sympathy with..."
"close kin"
"a close resemblance"
rigorously attentive; strict and thorough
"close supervision"
"paid close attention"
"a close study"
"kept a close watch on expenditures"
giving or spending with reluctance
"our cheeseparing administration"
"very close (or near) with his money"
"a penny-pinching miserly old man"
inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information
"although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it"
Closed, shut.
"Please close the door behind you when you leave the room."
In plain English: Close means being near to something or someone in space or time.
"The shop is close to the bus stop."
Usage: Use "close" as an adjective to describe something that is physically shut or not open, such as a door or a window. Do not use it to mean near in distance; instead, use "near" for spatial proximity.
A surname.
"The Close family gathered at their annual dinner to celebrate John's graduation."
The word "close" comes from the Middle English verb clusen, which evolved from the Old English clȳsan meaning "to shut." It entered English with this same core sense of closing or enclosing something.