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close adj. and adv. (uses not now general)
1. enclosed, shut up, shut in, confined Gent. III. i. 236 “ prison” (hence “ prisoner” Oth. V. ii. 334), MND. III. ii. 7, Wint. IV. iii. [iv.] 503, R3 IV. ii. 52 “I will take order for her keeping ,” H8 V. iv. 31, Rom. III. ii. 5 “thy curtain,” Lucr. 367.
2. free from observation, concealed, secret 2H6 II. iv. 74 “ dealing,” R3 I. i. 157 “secret intent,” Tim. IV. iii. 143, Ham. II. i. 118 “which, being kept ” ; often in phrase “stand ” Ado III. iii. 113, 3H6 IV. v. 17, Mac. V. i. 23, also absol. Tw.N. II. v. 23 “close” (=be still); used adverbially=secretly Shr. Ind. I. 127 “in a napkin being close convey'd,” 1H6 I. iv. 9. “close entrench'”
3. practising secrecy, uncommunicative, not open Meas. IV. iii. 127 “In your close patience,” John IV. ii. 72 “that close aspect of his,” 1H4 II. iii. 115 “No lady closer,” Mac. III. v. 7 “close contriver of all harms,” Cym. III. v. 85 “Close villain.”
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hide References (14 total)
  • Cross-references in text-specific dictionaries from this page (14):
    • William Shakespeare, Macbeth, 3.5
    • William Shakespeare, Macbeth, 5.1
    • William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, 2.1
    • William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, 3.1
    • William Shakespeare, King John, 4.2
    • William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, 3.5
    • William Shakespeare, The First Part of Henry IV, 2.3
    • William Shakespeare, The First Part of Henry VI, 1.4
    • William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henry VI, 2.4
    • William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, 3.2
    • William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Or what you will, 2.5
    • William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale, 4.3
    • William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale, 4.4
    • William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece
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