closeness

adjective closer, closest

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

adverb closer, closest