close
verb
uk/kləʊz/ us [ I or T ]
if a shop, restaurant, or public place closes or someone closes it, it stops being open for business at the end of the day, week, etc.:
The store closes at 5.30.
close (sth) to sb The banks had closed to customers so I couldn't pay the money in.
We usually close the bar around midnight.
[ I or T ]
if a business closes or is closed, it stops operating permanently:
The factory closed with the loss of 250 jobs.
The organization will be forced to let staff go and close many of its offices.
[ I ] FINANCE, STOCK MARKET
if a market, currency, share, etc. closes, it stops trading or being traded at the end of the working day:
The company released its statement after the market closed on Friday.
close up/down The Dow Jones closed up 94.90 at 10,623.60.
close at sth The pound closed at $1.47, down from $1.49 yesterday.
[ I or T ]
to finish, or to make something end:
At 11.45 the Chair closed the meeting.
close (sth) with sth She closed with a few remarks about the future.
[ I or T often passive ]
if something closes or is closed, there is no longer an opportunity to become involved because a particular date has been reached:
Applications for the post close on Wednesday 14 September.
Booking for the course is now closed.
[ I or T ] IT
if a computer program or a window on a computer screen closes, or if you close it, it stops operating because you tell it to:
Click on the 'X' to close the window and exit the application.
This file won't close.
[ T ] BANKING
to remove all the money from a bank account and stop using it permanently:
I closed that account when I moved to the UK.
close a deal
to complete a successful business arrangement with someone:
The company plans to sell its generic drug unit and expects to close the deal in late March.
Phrasal verb
close (sth) down
close
noun [ C, usually singular ]
uk/kləʊz/ usthe end of something:
bring/draw sth to a close I tried to bring the meeting to a close.
at the close of sth At the close of the financial year, the balance amounted to $418 million.
FINANCE, STOCK MARKET
the end of a day's trading on a market:
the close of business/trading His exit was announced after the close of trading.
at the close The IT services specialist was down 7.25p to 196.5p at the close.
(the) close of play
FINANCE, STOCK MARKET
the end of a working day or of a day's trading:
The bank said that a check paid in on Monday cannot be bounced after close of play on Thursday.
at/by (the) close of play The share price had almost doubled to 95.5p at close of play on Friday.