close up meaning
1. close up sth • close sth up • close up if someone closes up a house, shop, or other building, or it closes up, they shut and lock it and leave it:
▪ I managed to get to the store just before it closed up for the night.
▪ We decided to close up the house for the winter and go abroad.
■ SIMILAR TO: shut up
2. close up sth • close sth up if you close up a book, bag etc, you shut it:
▪ She quickly put her money away and closed up her bag.
▪ Mr Martin closed up the file and handed it to me across his desk.
■ SIMILAR TO: shut, close
3. close up if people close up, they move nearer together:
▪ The crowd around me had closed up, and there was no way that I could leave.
4. close up if something such as a wound or a hole closes up, the sides join together and it disappears:
▪ It'll take a few weeks for a deep cut like this to close up completely.
5. close up sth • close sth up if you close something up, for example a wound or a hole, you join the sides together or you cover it:
▪ One of the student doctors was given the task of closing up the wound.
▪ I managed to get to the store just before it closed up for the night.
▪ We decided to close up the house for the winter and go abroad.
■ SIMILAR TO: shut up
2. close up sth • close sth up if you close up a book, bag etc, you shut it:
▪ She quickly put her money away and closed up her bag.
▪ Mr Martin closed up the file and handed it to me across his desk.
■ SIMILAR TO: shut, close
3. close up if people close up, they move nearer together:
▪ The crowd around me had closed up, and there was no way that I could leave.
4. close up if something such as a wound or a hole closes up, the sides join together and it disappears:
▪ It'll take a few weeks for a deep cut like this to close up completely.
5. close up sth • close sth up if you close something up, for example a wound or a hole, you join the sides together or you cover it:
▪ One of the student doctors was given the task of closing up the wound.
[American slang]
1. Lit. [for an opening] to close completely.
The door closed up and would not open again.
The wound will close up completely in a day or so.
2. Fig. [for a place of business] to close for business.
The store closed up and did not open until the next day.
Examples
More: Next- the sergeant-major ordered the men to close up.
- the wound in his arm has begun to close up.
- the cut took a long time to close up.
- the sergeant told the men to close up.
- the mountains are closed up with heavy snow.