源etymfun
About

Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

Explanations are written by a local model (gemma4) and only published after a verification pass against the cited sources. How it works.

English

close

/ˈkləʊz/
To move a thing, or part of a thing, nearer to another so that the gap or opening between the two is removed.

    Etymology graph

    • inherited
    • borrowed
    • derived
    • parts
    • meaning component
    • sound component
    • related
    React Flow
    Press enter or space to select a node. You can then use the arrow keys to move the node around. Press delete to remove it and escape to cancel.
    Press enter or space to select an edge. You can then press delete to remove it or escape to cancel.

    Click a node to zoom in · double-click to open it

    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From Middle English closen (“to close, enclose”), partly continuing (in altered form) earlier Middle English clusen (“to close”) from Old English clȳsan (“to close, shut”); compare beclose, foreclose, etc.), and partly derived from Middle English clos (“close, shut up, confined, secret”, adjective), from Old French clos (“close, confined”, adjective), from Latin clausus (“shut up”, past participle), from claudō (“to bar, block, close, enclose, bring an end to, confine”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂w- (“key, hook, nail”), related to Latin clāvis (“key, deadbolt, bar”), clāvus (“nail, peg”), claustrum (“bar, bolt, barrier”), claustra (“dam, wall, barricade, stronghold”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō), κλείς (kleís, “bar, bolt, key”), Russian заключи́ть (zaključítʹ) (via ключ (ključ)), German schließen (“to close, conclude, lock”), Dutch sluiten (“to close, conclude, lock”). Partially replaced Old English lūcan (“to close, lock, enclose”), (whence English lock). Doublet of clause.

    Etymology 2

    Borrowed from French clos, from Latin clausum, participle of claudō.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • rootProto-Indo-European*(s)kleh₂w- “key, hook, nail”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishclosen “to close, enclose”
      • inheritedMiddle Englishclusen “to close”
        • inheritedOld Englishclȳsan “to close, shut”
    • borrowedFrenchclos
      • derivedLatinclausum

    Related: Latin clāvis, Ancient Greek κλείω, Russian заключи́ть, German schließen, Dutch sluiten, Old English lūcan

    Words built on it: up a close

    Meanings

    verb
    1. To move a thing, or part of a thing, nearer to another so that the gap or opening between the two is removed.
    2. To obstruct or block.
    3. To become denser or more crowded with objects.
    4. To make or become unreceptive.
    5. To move to a position preventing fluid from flowing.
    6. To move to a position allowing electricity to flow.
    noun
    1. An end or conclusion.
    2. The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.
    3. The point at the end of a sales pitch when the consumer is asked to buy.
    4. A grapple in wrestling.
    5. The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
    6. A double bar marking the end.
    adj
    1. At little distance; near in space or time.
    2. Almost, but not quite (getting to an answer, goal, or other state); near.
    3. Almost resulting in disaster.
    4. Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; almost exactly matching.
    5. Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact or nearly so.
    6. Intimate or immediate in personal relationship.
    adv
    1. So as to leave or create little distance or space between objects.
    2. Carefully, in detail.
    3. In combination (sometimes potentially ambiguous between adverb and adjective).

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: close