Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CLOSE, v.t. [s as z. Fr. clos; Arm. verb closa, or closein; part. closet; from the L. participle clausus, of claudo, to shut; Fr. clorre; It. chiudere; chiuso; D. kluis, an inclosure. The D. sluiten, G. schliessen, schloss, Dan. slutter, Sw. sluta, are from the same root, with a prefix. Gr. κλειω, for κλειδοω, whence κλεις, a key, clavis, that which shuts of fastens; W. claws, clwys, a close, a cloister; Sax. hlid, a lid, the shutter; hlidan, to cover; Ir. cleithim, cludaim. See Class Ld, No. 1, 8, 9, 10.]

1. To shut; to make fast, by pressing together, or by stopping an open place, so as to intercept a passage, in almost any manner; as, to close the eyes; to close a gate, door or window. In these and other cases, closing is performed by bringing an object before the opening. To close a book, is to bring the parts together. The Lord hath closed your eyes. Is. xxix. He closed the book. Luke iv.
2. To end; to finish; to conclude; to complete; to bring to a period; as, to close a bargain, or contract. One frugal supper did our studies close. – Dryden.
3. To unite, as the parts of a breach or fracture; to make whole; to consolidate; often followed by up. The Lord closed up the flesh instead thereof. – Gen. ii.
4. To cover; to inclose; to encompass; to overwhelm. The depths closed me round about. – Jonah ii.
5. To inclose; to confine. [See Inclose.]
6. To move or bring together; to unite separate bodies or parts; as, to close the ranks of an army.