What does "close up" mean (sense 1)?

To close a building, shop, or premises, usually at the end of the day. Example: "The caretaker closed up the school at six o'clock every evening."

What does "close up" mean (sense 2)?

To move closer together, reducing the gap between people or things. Example: "The soldiers were ordered to close up and maintain a tighter formation."

What does "close up" mean (sense 3)?

Of a wound: to heal and seal itself. Example: "The nurse said the cut would close up on its own within a few days."

Browse all

close up

B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive

To close a building, shop, or wound completely; to move closer together; or to become uncommunicative.

In plain English

To shut a place completely, or to move things together until there is no space between them.

What does "close up" mean?

4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.

1 B1 neutral

common

To close a building, shop, or premises, usually at the end of the day.

"The caretaker closed up the school at six o'clock every evening."

separable

2 B2 neutral

uncommon

To move closer together, reducing the gap between people or things.

"The soldiers were ordered to close up and maintain a tighter formation."

inseparable

3 B2 neutral

common

Of a wound: to heal and seal itself.

"The nurse said the cut would close up on its own within a few days."

inseparable

4 B2 idiomatic informal

common

To become emotionally withdrawn or unwilling to communicate.

"He closed up completely whenever anyone asked him about his childhood."

inseparable

Literal vs figurative

Words literally mean

To close ('close') fully ('up') so that everything is sealed or together.

Actually means

To shut a place completely, or to move things together until there is no space between them.

Usage tip

Has several distinct senses: closing a shop for the day, closing a wound (medical), moving together (military/people), or becoming emotionally withdrawn. 'Close-up' as a noun/adjective refers to a type of photograph taken very near the subject.

Words that pair with "close up"

Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.

shop wound ranks gap business flower

How to conjugate "close up"

The five tense forms you'll use most often.

Base

close up

I/you/we/they

3rd person

closes up

he/she/it

Past simple

closed up

yesterday

Past participle

closed up

have + pp

-ing form

closing up

continuous

Hear "close up" in the wild

Listen to native speakers using "close up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.

Keep exploring

Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.

All phrasal verbs with "close" All phrasal verbs with "up" More B1-level phrasal verbs