adjective closer clos′er, closest clos′·est

1. shut; not open enclosed or enclosing; shut in confined or confining; narrow close quarters carefully guarded close custody shut away from observation; hidden; secluded secretive; reserved; reticent miserly; stingy restricted, as in membership oppressively warm and stuffy: said of the weather, atmosphere, etc. not readily available credit is closePhonet. articulated with the tongue relatively high in the mouth, near the palate: said of certain vowels, as the (ē) in eat
2. with little space between; with the intervening space closing or closed up; near together having parts or elements near together; compact; dense close marching order, close weave fitting tightly a close coat
   1. down or near to the surface on which something grows; very short a close shave
   2. not far away; nearby a close neighbor
   near in interests, affection, etc.; intimate; familiar a close friend varying little from the original or model a close translation strict; thorough; careful a close search compactly expressed; concise a close description accurate; logical; precise close reasoning nearly equal or alike close in age difficult to resolve or uncertain in outcome a close decision

Etymology: ME clos < OFr < L clausus, pp. of claudere (see close); senses under II from notion “with spaces or intervals closed up”

adverb closer clos′er, closest clos′·est