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Synonyms for close upon
| Grammar : Adv |
| Spell : verb klohz; adjective, adverb klohs or for 51, klohz; noun klohz for 59, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, klohs for 61, 62, 66 |
| Phonetic Transcription : verb kloʊz; adjective, adverb kloʊs or for 51, kloʊz; noun kloʊz for 59, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, kloʊs for 61, 62, 66 |
Top 10 synonyms for close upon Other synonyms for the word close upon
- a step from
- about to
- abreast of
- adjacent to
- adjoining
- all but
- alongside
- as good as
- aside
- at one's elbow
- at the edge of
- at the side of
- bordering on
- by
- cheek by jowl
- close at hand
- close to
- close upon
- connected with
- contiguous to
- for all practical purposes
- for the greatest part
- fornent
- in effect
- in juxtaposition
- in the neighborhood of
- in the vicinity of
- just about
- near
- near to
- nearby
- neck and neck
- neighboring
- next door to
- nigh
- not far from
- not quite
- on the brink of
- on the edge of
- on the point of
- on the verge of
- opposite
- overlooking
- pretty near
- round
- side by side
- substantially
- verging on
- well-nigh
- with
- within sight of
Définition of close upon
Origin :- c.1200, "to shut, cover in," from Old French clos- (past participle stem of clore "to shut, to cut off from"), 12c., from Latin clausus, past participle of claudere "to shut, close; to block up, make inaccessible; put an end to; shut in, enclose, confine" (always -clusus, -cludere in compounds).
- The Latin word might be from the possible PIE root *klau- "hook, peg, crooked or forked branch" (used as a bar or bolt in primitive structures); cf. Latin clavis "key," clavus "nail," claustrum "bar, bolt, barrier," claustra "dam, wall, barricade, stronghold;" Greek kleidos (genitive) "bar, bolt, key," klobos "cage;" Old Irish clo "nail," Middle Irish clithar "hedge, fence;" Old Church Slavonic ključi "hook, key," ključiti "shut;" Lithuanian kliuti "to catch, be caught on," kliaudziu "check, hinder," kliuvu "clasp, hang;" Old High German sliozan "shut," German schließen "to shut," Schlüssel "key."
- Also partly from Old English beclysan "close in, shut up." Intransitive sense "become shut" is from late 14c. Meaning "draw near to" is from 1520s. Intransitive meaning "draw together, come together" is from 1550s, hence the idea in military verbal phrase close ranks (mid-17c.), later with figurative extensions. Meaning "bring to an end, finish" is from c.1400; intransitive sense "come to an end" is from 1826. Of stock prices, from 1860. Meaning "bring together the parts of" (a book, etc.) is from 1560s. Related: Closed; closing.
- As in beside : adv next to
- As in almost : adv nearly, very nearly
- He walked on, and she did not appear to hear his steps until he was close upon her.
- Extract from : « Little Dorrit » by Charles Dickens
- Physician was close upon him, and looked round the door too.
- Extract from : « Little Dorrit » by Charles Dickens
- Close upon five hundred and forty have already been published.
- Extract from : « The Letters of Robert Burns » by Robert Burns
- It was close upon one in the morning, and all the country folk had been long abed.
- Extract from : « Micah Clarke » by Arthur Conan Doyle
- But the eyes, they were goneno, they were close upon the floor, and coming toward them.
- Extract from : « The Dare Boys of 1776 » by Stephen Angus Cox
- He is close upon twelve years old now, and maybe he is growing too fast.'
- Extract from : « His Masterpiece » by Emile Zola
- For close upon five-and-twenty years, she had kept a small shop in that town.
- Extract from : « Therese Raquin » by Emile Zola
- Thus we waited for close upon two hours that were as an eternity.
- Extract from : « The Strolling Saint » by Raphael Sabatini
- Close upon the heels of the second secretary came Mr. Green.
- Extract from : « The Lion's Skin » by Rafael Sabatini
- Looking back he saw that one of the cars was close upon him.
- Extract from : « A Yankee Flier Over Berlin » by Al Avery
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019