close to stop being open, or to make something stop being open. You use
close and
shut especially about your eyes, your mouth, a door, a window, or a container:
Can I close the window? Her eyes slowly closed. He closed the door gently, so as not to wake the children.shut to close something .
Shut sometimes has a feeling of doing something quickly and firmly, whereas
close sounds more careful:
He shut the door with a loud bang. Shut your eyes and go to sleep.slam to close a door or lid quickly and noisily, especially because you are angry:
She left the room, slamming the door behind her.draw the curtains to close curtains by pulling them across a window:
The curtains were still drawn at ten o'clock in the morning.put the lid on something to close a container by putting a lid onto it:
Did you put the lid on the cookie jar?seal to close something so that no air or water can get in or out:
In this experiment, the chamber must be completely sealed.take/get a close look She moved forward to take a close look at the painting.keep a close eye/watch on somebody/something (=watch someone or something carefully) They have to keep a close eye on their finances.a close examination A closer examination of the facts soon solved the mystery.a close study Their research involved a close study of two communities.close attention You will lose weight if you combine exercise with close attention to your diet.close scrutiny (=careful and thorough examination of someone or something) The investigation included close scrutiny of the images on CCTV.close inspection (=looking at someone or something in detail) Closer inspection revealed that the rocks were from an earlier period.close supervision (=constantly making sure that someone does things in the correct way) Initially there will be close supervision of the trainee.similar adjective almost the same:
Jo said she’d had a similar experience. The colours are very similar, but I like this one best.like preposition similar to something or someone else:
It tastes a little like chicken. She still looks like a teenager.alike adjective [not before noun] very similar - used especially about the way people look or behave:
She and her sister look alike. Lawyers are all alike - I don’t trust them.much the same very similar:
The glass is still made in much the same way as it was 100 years ago. People are much the same, wherever you go. She still looks very much the same.identical adjective exactly the same:
The two computers were identical in design. identical namesmatching adjective having the same colour, style, pattern etc as something else - used about clothes or furniture that you wear or use together:
She wore matching silver shoes and handbag. a dining table and matching chairsakin to something formal fairly similar to something:
These dialects are akin to Arabic, though different in several respects.near only a short distance from something or someone:
I live near Salzburg in Austria. If we moved to Dallas, we’d be near my parents.not far (away) not a long distance away – used when saying that a place is near enough to be easy to get to:
The station’s not far away from here.nearby near here or near a particular place:
Is there a post office nearby? A group of reporters were waiting nearby.within walking distance (of something) easy to walk to from somewhere, or near enough to something for you to walk there:
There’s a good school within walking distance. The house is within walking distance of shopping facilities.be convenient for something British English,
be convenient to something American English to be near a place that people want to get to, so that the place is easy to reach:
The area is very convenient for Gatwick airport. I want a hotel that’s convenient for the city centre.locally in or near the area where you are or the area you are talking about:
I prefer to buy fruit and vegetables that are grown locally.around here (
also round here British English)
spoken in the general area near here:
Parking is impossible around here. Is there a garage round here?in the neighbourhood British English,
in the neighborhood American English living or existing in the area where you are or the area you are talking about:
We grew up knowing all the other kids in the neighbourhood. There’s very little crime in the neighborhood.in the vicinity formal in the area around and near a particular place – used especially in news reports:
A white van was seen in the vicinity at the time the murder took place.neighbouring British English,
neighboring American English used about towns, countries etc that are very near a particular place:
discussions between Egypt and neighbouring states The rioting quickly spread to neighbouring areas.start up/boot up to make a computer start working:
I’m having problems starting up my computer.log on/in to start using a computer system by typing your name and password:
He logged on and read his emails.click on something to press a button on a computer mouse to choose a program, file etc from the screen:
When you click on the link, it sends you to the company’s website.install to add new software to a computer so that the software is ready to be used:
All users should install anti-virus software.download to move information, pictures, or music from the Internet onto your computer:
You can download MP3 files.upload to move information, pictures, or music from your computer to a different computer across the Internet:
Sites such as YouTube allow you to upload your own videos.open to make a file or program ready to use:
Open a new file and type in the information.scroll up/down to move information on a computer screen up or down so that you can read it:
Scroll down to read the questions and answers.enter to type information into a computer:
The program requires you to enter a password.delete to remove information from a computer:
I’ve deleted his email. When you delete a file, it first gets moved to the recycle bin.cut and paste to remove information from one place and put it in another place:
Tutors are looking out for students who cut and paste their essays from the Internet.save to make a computer keep the work that you have done on it:
Make sure you save any work you do before you shut the computer down.close to stop having a file or program ready to use:
To close the window, click on the ‘X’ in the top right-hand corner of the screen.log off/out to stop using a computer system by giving it particular instructions:
I get an error message when I log off.shut down to make a computer stop working:
Employees should shut their computers down at the end of each day.restart/reboot to make a computer start working again:
Wait a few minutes before rebooting your computer. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲
near only a short distance from something or someone:
I live near Salzburg in Austria. If we moved to Dallas, we’d be near my parents.close very near something or someone, or almost touching them:
The hotel is close to the beach. Nancy came and sat close beside me on the bed.not far (away) not a long distance away – used when saying that a place is near enough to be easy to get to:
The station’s not far away from here.nearby near here or near a particular place:
Is there a post office nearby? A group of reporters were waiting nearby.within walking distance (of something) easy to walk to from somewhere, or near enough to something for you to walk there:
There’s a good school within walking distance. The house is within walking distance of shopping facilities.be convenient for something British English,
be convenient to something American English to be near a place that people want to get to, so that the place is easy to reach:
The area is very convenient for Gatwick airport. I want a hotel that’s convenient for the city centre.locally in or near the area where you are or the area you are talking about:
I prefer to buy fruit and vegetables that are grown locally.around here (
also round here British English)
spoken in the general area near here:
Parking is impossible around here. Is there a garage round here?in the neighbourhood British English,
in the neighborhood American English living or existing in the area where you are or the area you are talking about:
We grew up knowing all the other kids in the neighbourhood. There’s very little crime in the neighborhood.in the vicinity formal in the area around and near a particular place – used especially in news reports:
A white van was seen in the vicinity at the time the murder took place.neighbouring British English,
neighboring American English used about towns, countries etc that are very near a particular place:
discussions between Egypt and neighbouring states The rioting quickly spread to neighbouring areas. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲