Part 297

3. To grapple; to engage in hand-to-hand fight.

They boldly closed in a hand-to-hand contest. Prescott.

To close on or upon, to come to a mutual agreement; to agree on or join in. "Would induce France and Holland to close upon some measures between them to our disadvantage." Sir W. Temple. -- To close with. (a) To accede to; to consent or agree to; as, to close with the terms proposed. (b) To make an agreement with. -- To close with the land (Naut.), to approach the land.

Close (?), n. 1. The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction. [Obs.]

The doors of plank were; their close exquisite. Chapman.

2. Conclusion; cessation; ending; end.

His long and troubled life was drawing to a close. Macaulay.

3. A grapple in wrestling. Bacon.

4. (Mus.) (a) The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence. (b) A double bar marking the end.

At every close she made, the attending throng Replied, and bore the burden of the song. Dryden.

Syn. -- Conclusion; termination; cessation; end; ending; extremity; extreme.

Close (? or ?), n. [OF. & F. clos an inclosure, fr. clos, p. p. of clore. See Close, v. t.] 1. An inclosed place; especially, a small field or piece of land surrounded by a wall, hedge, or fence of any kind; -- specifically, the precinct of a cathedral or abbey.

Closes surrounded by the venerable abodes of deans and canons. Macaulay.

2. A narrow passage leading from a street to a court, and the houses within. [Eng.] Halliwell

3. (Law) The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not inclosed. Bouvier.

Close (?), a. [Compar. Closer (?); superl. Closest.] [Of. & F. clos, p. p. of clore. See Close, v. t.] 1. Shut fast; closed; tight; as, a close box.

From a close bower this dainty music flowed. Dryden.

2. Narrow; confined; as, a close alley; close quarters. "A close prison." Dickens.

3. Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude; -- said of the air, weather, etc.

If the rooms be low-roofed, or full of windows and doors, the one maketh the air close, . . . and the other maketh it exceeding unequal. Bacon.

4. Strictly confined; carefully quarded; as, a close prisoner.

5. Out of the way observation; secluded; secret; hidden. "He yet kept himself close because of Saul." 1 Chron. xii. 1

"Her close intent." Spenser.

6. Disposed to keep secrets; secretive; reticent. "For secrecy, no lady closer." Shak.

7. Having the parts near each other; dense; solid; compact; as applied to bodies; viscous; tenacious; not volatile, as applied to liquids.

The golden globe being put into a press, . . . the water made itself way through the pores of that very close metal. Locke.

8. Concise; to the point; as, close reasoning. "Where the original is close no version can reach it in the same compass." Dryden.

9. Adjoining; near; either in space; time, or thought; -- often followed by to.