{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;; 'a priv. + &unr_; stalk or L. caulis stalk. See Cole. ] (Bot.) Same as Acaulescent. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_; joint. ] (Nat. Hist.) Being without joints; jointless. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. aloser. ] To praise. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. alosa or alausa. ] (Zool.) The European shad (Alosa alosa formerly Clupea alosa); -- called also allice shad or allis shad. The name is sometimes applied to the American shad (Alosa sapidissima formerly Clupea sapidissima). See Shad. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) One of the starch group (C6H10O5)n of the carbohydrates; as, starch, arabin, dextrin, cellulose, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Anchylosed p. pr. & vb. n. Anchylosing. ] [ Cf. F. ankyloser. ] To affect or be affected with anchylosis; to unite or consolidate so as to make a stiff joint; to grow together into one. [ Spelt also ankylose. ] Owen. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Angulous. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Anhelous; panting. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. Same as Anchylose. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. annulus ring. ] 1. Furnished with, or composed of, rings or ringlike segments; ringed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Annulosa. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Pref. bi- + callose, callous. ] (Bot.) Having two callosities or hard spots. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Callous. ] (Bot.) Furnished with protuberant or hardened spots. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. capillosus. ] Having much hair; hairy. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Consisting of, or containing, cells. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) The substance which constitutes the essential part of the solid framework of plants, of ordinary wood, cotton, linen, paper, etc. It is also found to a slight extent in certain animals, as the tunicates. It is a carbohydrate, (C6H10O5)n, isomeric with starch, and is convertible into starches and sugars by the action of heat and acids. When pure, it is a white amorphous mass. See Starch, Granulose, Lignin. [ 1913 Webster ]

Unsized, well bleached linen paper is merely pure cellulose. Goodale. [ 1913 Webster ]

Starch cellulose, the delicate framework which remains when the soluble part (granulose) of starch is removed by saliva or pepsin. Goodale. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a close manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Secretly; darkly. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A wondrous vision which did close imply
The course of all her fortune and posterity. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Closed p. pr. & vb. n. Closing. ] [ From OF. & F. clos, p. p. of clore to close, fr. L. claudere; akin to G. schliessen to shut, and to E. clot, cloister, clavicle, conclude, sluice. Cf. Clause, n. ] 1. To stop, or fill up, as an opening; to shut; as, to close the eyes; to close a door. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bring together the parts of; to consolidate; as, to close the ranks of an army; -- often used with up. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To bring to an end or period; to conclude; to complete; to finish; to end; to consummate; as, to close a bargain; to close a course of instruction. [ 1913 Webster ]

One frugal supper did our studies close. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To come or gather around; to inclose; to encompass; to confine. [ 1913 Webster ]

The depth closed me round about. Jonah ii. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

But now thou dost thyself immure and close
In some one corner of a feeble heart. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

A closed sea, a sea within the jurisdiction of some particular nation, which controls its navigation. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To come together; to unite or coalesce, as the parts of a wound, or parts separated. [ 1913 Webster ]

What deep wounds ever closed without a scar? Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To end, terminate, or come to a period; as, the debate closed at six o'clock. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To grapple; to engage in hand-to-hand fight. [ 1913 Webster ]

They boldly closed in a hand-to-hand contest. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

To close on or
To close 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The doors of plank were; their close exquisite. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Conclusion; cessation; ending; end. [ 1913 Webster ]

His long and troubled life was drawing to a close. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A grapple in wrestling. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mus.) (a) The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence. (b) A double bar marking the end. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Closes surrounded by the venerable abodes of deans and canons. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A narrow passage leading from a street to a court, and the houses within. [ Eng. ] Halliwell [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not inclosed. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

From a close bower this dainty music flowed. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Narrow; confined; as, a close alley; close quarters. “A close prison.” Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude; -- said of the air, weather, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Strictly confined; carefully quarded; as, a close prisoner. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Out of the way observation; secluded; secret; hidden. “He yet kept himself close because of Saul.” 1 Chron. xii. 1 [ 1913 Webster ]

“Her close intent.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Disposed to keep secrets; secretive; reticent. “For secrecy, no lady closer.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Having the parts near each other; dense; solid; compact; as applied to bodies; viscous; tenacious; not volatile, as applied to liquids. [ 1913 Webster ]

The golden globe being put into a press, . . . the water made itself way through the pores of that very close metal. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Concise; to the point; as, close reasoning. “Where the original is close no version can reach it in the same compass.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Adjoining; near; either in space; time, or thought; -- often followed by to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Plant the spring crocuses close to a wall. Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The thought of the Man of sorrows seemed a very close thing -- not a faint hearsay. G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. Short; as, to cut grass or hair close. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. Intimate; familiar; confidential. [ 1913 Webster ]

League with you I seek
And mutual amity, so strait, so close,
That I with you must dwell, or you with me. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; as, a close vote. “A close contest.” Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

13. Difficult to obtain; as, money is close. Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

14. Parsimonious; stingy. “A crusty old fellow, as close as a vise.” Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

15. Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact; strict; as, a close translation. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

16. Accurate; careful; precise; also, attentive; undeviating; strict; not wandering; as, a close observer. [ 1913 Webster ]

17. (Phon.) Uttered with a relatively contracted opening of the mouth, as certain sounds of e and o in French, Italian, and German; -- opposed to open. [ 1913 Webster ]

Close borough. See under Borough. --
Close breeding. See under Breeding. --
Close communion, communion in the Lord's supper, restricted to those who have received baptism by immersion. --
Close corporation, a body or corporation which fills its own vacancies. --
Close fertilization. (Bot.) See Fertilization. --
Close harmony (Mus.), compact harmony, in which the tones composing each chord are not widely distributed over several octaves. --
Close time, a fixed period during which killing game or catching certain fish is prohibited by law. --
Close vowel (Pron.), a vowel which is pronounced with a diminished aperture of the lips, or with contraction of the cavity of the mouth. --
Close to the wind (Naut.), directed as nearly to the point from which the wind blows as it is possible to sail; closehauled; -- said of a vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Closely united. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Firmly barred or closed. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Fitting the body exactly; setting close, as a garment. Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. having an opening obstructed. [ Narrower terms: blind ] Also See: obstructed, sealed, shut, unopen, closed. Antonym: open. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Math.) of a curve or surface: having no end points or boundary curves; of a set: having members that can be produced by a specific operation on other members of the same set; of an interval: containing both its endpoints. open [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. Being in a position to obstruct an opening; -- especially of doors. [ Narrower terms: fastened, latched ] Also See: closed. Antonym: open.
Syn. -- shut, unopen. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

4. having skin drawn so as to obstruct the opening; -- used of mouth or eyes. Opposite of open. he sat quietly with closed eyes [ Narrower terms: blinking, winking; compressed, tight; squinched, squinting ]
Syn. -- shut. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

5. requiring union membership; -- of a workplace; as, a closed shop. [ prenominal ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

6. closed with shutters. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

7. hidden from the public; as, a closed ballot. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

8. not open to the general public; as, a closed meeting. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

9. unsympathetic; -- of a person's attitude. a closed mind unreceptive to new ideas [ WordNet 1.5 ]

10. surrounded by walls. a closed porch
Syn. -- closed in(predicate). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

11. made compact by bending or doubling over; as, a closed map.
Syn. -- folded. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

12. closed or fastened with or as if with buttons. [ Narrower terms: buttoned (vs. unbuttoned) ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

13. not engaged in activity; -- of an organization or business establishment. the airport is closed because of the weather; the many closed shops and factories made the town look deserted
Syn. -- shut down. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. (Chem.) having atoms linked by bonds which form a ring.
Syn. -- closed-ring. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. not ready to receive new ideas.
Syn. -- close-minded. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. termination of operations; a shutdown.
Syn. -- closure, closing, shutdown. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. (Chem.) same as closed-chain.
Syn. -- closed-chain. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. pl. (Naut.) Barriers with loopholes, formerly erected on the deck of a vessel to shelter the men in a close engagement with an enemy's boarders; -- called also close quarters. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Covetous; niggardly. Bp. Berkeley. “Closefisted contractors.” Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. dense or compact in structure or texture, as a wood composed of small-diameter cells.
Syn. -- fine-grained. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Covetous; penurious; stingy; closefisted. -- Close"hand`ed*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

a. (Naut.) Under way and moving as nearly as possible toward the direction from which the wind blows; having the sails trimmed for sailing as close to the wind as possible; -- said of a sailing vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a close manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Secretly; privately. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

That nought she did but wayle, and often steepe
Her dainty couch with tears which
closely she did weepe. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. owned by a relatively few shareholders; -- of business organizations; as, a closely-held corporation. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. bound together by intimate ties, social, personal, cultural or political; as, closely-knit little villages; a close-knit family. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. not ready to receive new ideas.
Syn. -- closed-minded. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Cautious in speaking; secret; wary; uncommunicative. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make close. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being close. [ 1913 Webster ]

Half stifled by the closeness of the room. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

We rise not against the piercing judgment of Augustus, nor the extreme caution or closeness of Tiberius. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

An affectation of closeness and covetousness. Addison.

Syn. -- Narrowness; oppressiveness; strictness; secrecy; compactness; conciseness; nearness; intimacy; tightness; stinginess; literalness. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. grouped closely together.
Syn. -- dense, tight. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, closes; specifically, a boot closer. See under Boot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A finisher; that which finishes or terminates. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Masonry) The last stone in a horizontal course, if of a less size than the others, or a piece of brick finishing a course. Gwilt. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Naut.) Having all the reefs taken in; -- said of a sail. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. arranged close together; as, close-set eyes; close-set teeth. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A utensil to hold a chamber vessel, for the use of the sick and infirm. It is usually in the form of a box, with a seat and tight cover. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. closet little inclosure, dim. of clos. See Close an inclosure. ] 1. A small room or apartment for retirement; a room for privacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

A chair-lumbered closet, just twelve feet by nine. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

When thou prayest, enter into thy closet. Matt. vi. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A small apartment, or recess in the side of a room, for household utensils, clothing, etc. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Closet sin, sin commited in privacy. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p.Closeted p. pr. & vb. n. Closeting. ] 1. To shut up in, or as in, a closet; to conceal. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Bedlam's closeted and handcuffed charge. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make into a closet for a secret interview. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was to call a new legislature, to closet its members. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

He had been closeted with De Quadra. Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Closemouthed; silent. “Close-tongued treason.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a photograph or other recorded image taken at close range, or using a telephoto lens so as to appear to have been taken at close range; -- used especially of images of faces in which the face fills all or most of the photograph. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]