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close to

idiom

Definition of close to

1 : almost or nearly
  • They spent close to half a million dollars on the project.
  • Our company employs close to a thousand workers.
  • I haven't seen her in close to a year.
2 British : from a short distance : close up
  • She's even more beautiful when seen close to.

Word by Word Definitions

close play

  1. : to move so as to bar passage through something

  2. : to block against entry or passage

  3. : to deny access to

  1. : a coming or bringing to a conclusion

  2. : a conclusion or end in time or existence : cessation

  3. : the concluding passage (as of a speech or play)

  1. : an enclosed area

  2. : the precinct (see precinct 2a) of a cathedral

  3. : a narrow passage leading from a street to a court and the houses within or to the common stairway of tenements

  1. : having no openings : closed

  2. : confined or carefully guarded

  3. : high

  1. : in a close position or manner

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