verb | adverb, adjective | noun
closeclose1 /kloʊz/ verb ► close to make something stop being open: He closed the door. Close your eyes and go to sleep. ➔ If a store closes, it stops letting customers in: The store closes at 10 p.m.
► shut shut means the same as close: May I shut the window? I’m cold.
► slam to shut a door, lid, etc. with a loud noise: She left the room, angrily slamming the door behind her.
► seal also seal up to close an entrance, container, or hole with something that stops things from going in or out: The medicine bottle was sealed with plastic. A large rock sealed up the entrance to the cave. ➔ You can also use seal about closing an envelope or package with something sticky like tape: She sealed the envelope and put a stamp on it.
► fasten to join together the two sides of something so that it is no longer open: Have you fastened your seat belt?
ANTONYMS ➔ see open2 ➔ see lockSYNONYM CHECKClose or shut?You often use close and shut about your eyes, your mouth, a door, a window, or a container. Shut is sometimes used about closing something quickly and firmly: He shut the door with a loud bang. Close sounds more careful: She closed the door gently. verb | adverb, adjective | noun
closeclose2 /kloʊs/ adverb, adjective 
► close adverb, adjective not far away from someone or something: She was sitting close to the window. The closest town is about ten miles away from the farm.
► near preposition near means the same as close: He lives near here. They moved to be nearer the school.
► nearby adverb, adjective close to here or close to a particular place: We stopped at a nearby gas station. Is there a post office nearby?
ANTONYMS ➔ see far ➔ see similar, thoroughGRAMMAR CHECK: closeClose and near are both used to talk about short distance between things. Don't say: The hotel is close the beach. Say: The hotel is close to the beach. Close must be followed by the preposition "to" and then a noun: They live close to the park.Near is usually followed directly by a noun: The hotel is near the beach.People do not often say that someone or something “is close” or “is near,” although you can say that someone or something is closer or nearer, or gets or comes closer: Which school is closer? | The dog came closer. verb | adverb, adjective | noun
closeclose3 /kloʊz/ noun ➔ see end1