Close to the wind

Close to the wind
Close Close (kl[=o]s), a. [Compar. {Closer} (kl[=o]"s[~e]r); 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]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • close to the wind — adverb nearly opposite to the direction from which wind is coming sailing close to the wind • Topics: ↑seafaring, ↑navigation, ↑sailing * * * phrasal of a ship : with the head directed as nearly to the point from which the wind blows as it is… …   Useful english dictionary

  • close to the wind — phrasal as nearly as possible against the main force of the wind …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sail close to the wind — I sail close to (or near) the wind sail as nearly against the wind as possible ■ figurative come close to breaking a rule or the law; behave or operate in a risky way II sail close to (or near) the wind 1) Sailing sail as nearly against the wind… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sail close to the wind —    If you sail close to the wind, you take risks to do something, going close to the limit of what is allowed or acceptable.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    If you sail close to the wind, you do something dangerous or act just within the… …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • sail close near the wind — Ⅰ. ► sail close to (or near) the wind 1) sail as nearly against the wind as is consistent with using its force. 2) informal verge on indecency, dishonesty, or disaster. Main Entry: ↑wind Ⅱ. ► sail close to the wind 1) …   English terms dictionary

  • sail close to the wind — Ⅰ. ► sail close to (or near) the wind 1) sail as nearly against the wind as is consistent with using its force. 2) informal verge on indecency, dishonesty, or disaster. Main Entry: ↑wind Ⅱ. ► sail close to the wind 1) …   English terms dictionary

  • sail close to the wind — If you sail close to the wind, you take risks to do something, going close to the limit of what is allowed or acceptable …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • sail close to the wind — 1. to take risks which could cause problems or danger. We may have just enough fuel to get there, but we ll be sailing a bit close to the wind. (often in continuous tenses) 2. to do something that is dangerous or only just legal or acceptable. I… …   New idioms dictionary

  • Sail close to the wind —   If you sail close to the wind, you take risks to do something, going close to the limit of what is allowed or acceptable …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • sail close to the wind — {v. phr.} To be on the borderline between legality and illegality. * /The wealthy tycoon sailed close to the wind during Prohibition./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

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