close up
English edit
Etymology edit
Dissimilated from Middle English upclosen (“to close up, stop up, seal”).
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
close up (third-person singular simple present closes up, present participle closing up, simple past and past participle closed up)
- (intransitive) To close (remove a gap) completely or fully.
- Some flowers close up at night to stay protected from the cold.
- (intransitive) To move nearer together so that a gap is removed.
- The crowd closed up and I couldn't get through to the train.
- (transitive, intransitive) To shut a building or a business for a period of time.
- Synonym: close
- We finally managed to close up the shop for the night at about 10 o'clock.
- The car factory has closed up for the August holidays.
- (intransitive) Of a cut or other wound: To heal.
- With stitches, the cut should close up in a week to ten days.
- (intransitive) To become less 'open' or communicative; to shrink back.
- to close up emotionally
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
to shut for a period of time
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of a wound, to heal