Wordcyclopedia | English | Can you close the door?

can Verb

— If someone can do something, they are able to do it. Most birds can fly. Can you speak English? I can't see it. It's too small. "Can you come?" "Yes, I think I can." This is a service that anyone can easily afford. — If someone can do something, they are allowed to do it. You can't smoke here. Can I go now? — You use can to ask somebody to do something (if you know the person well). Can you open the door for me, please? Can I have the salt, please? — If something can happen, it is possible. It's so small that it can't be seen. There can't be any difference. Can the plan work? That can't be right. Imagine how bad it can get. — If someone tells you something can't happen, they think it's not a good idea. You just can't keep smoking. You can't think things are going to get better. — If something can happen, it happens sometimes. I can get really busy here on weekends. Her classes can be really interesting or really boring.

can Verb

— If someone cans something, they put in a can or jar to keep for a long time. We canned the peas for the winter. — If someone cans something, they stop working on it. The idea was canned. — If someone gets canned they have lost their job. — If you tell someone to can it, you want them to stop talking. Can it, would you? I'm trying to watch TV.

can Noun

— A can is a metal container, usually for holding food or drink. I drink cola from a can. hoops come in a can.

More »

you Pronoun

— Used instead of the name of the person being spoken to; it is a second-person pronoun. You are my best friend. Can I go to the shops with you? — Used to talk about anyone. You have to be 18 years old to see that film. She has problems with her eyes, and can't see you properly.

you Determinative

— Used before a word that means the person or people someone is talking to. You guys can leave now.

More »

close Verb

— If you close something, you change it from being open to not open. She watched TV for a while, and then closed her eyes. He left the room and softly closed the door behind him. He opened his mouth and closed it again without saying anything. — If something closes, it goes out of business for a short time or permanently. The supermarket closes at 5 o'clock on Saturday. Sadly, we have decided to close the shop. — If the distance or time between two different things closes, they get closer together. The government will use the $15 million to close a budget gap. With only three games left in the season, Milan is closing in on Hamburg. The storm was closing in, and she wanted to get home. — If something closes, it ends. The book closes with the man alone in the house where he started. I'd like to close this talk by asking for your help. — If a stock, bond, or currency closes at a certain price, it is at the price at the end of the trading day. The EAP Emerging Growth Fund lost half a dollar, closing at just over $38. Again today, cigarette company stocks closed up. — If you close a deal/sale/contract, both people make a final agreement. It took five months, many phone calls, and an extra $89,000 to close the deal. — If you close up, you stop talking about something. Every time I asked about the cost everybody would close right up.

close Adjective

— When two things are close, they are near each other; the distance or time between them is small. The bank is close to the store. I walk to my university because it is very close. It's close to nine o'clock. Closer to the end, I'll come and get you. Put it close to the door. — If two people are close, they have a good relationship, like friends, family or lovers. She was quite close to her dad before he died. — If a game or contest is close, you can't easily see which side is better. The race has been very close up until now. — If two things are close, they are similar. This is the closest thing I could find to that colour. — Close range/contact/ties etc. is near, not far. They tell us the gun was fired at close range. Most Norwegians live in close contact with the wilderness, the sea, the mountains, or the forests. — A close look or close attention means you pay careful attention. Keep a close eye on the money. — In a close game/race/competition, etc., the difference between the scores/times/abilities, etc is small. One or two points can win or lose a close race . The winner earned 13.8 percent of the vote, but she was a close second (13.5 percent). — If something was close, something bad/dangerous/embarrassing, etc. almost happened. Wow, that was close. She almost saw us. Thirty years ago this week, our country had a very close call.

close Noun

— The close of something is the end. I will be surprised if the company is still running by close of business tomorrow. The book was written around the close of the 14th century. As our first week came to a close, we were getting very tired.

close Adverb

— If you are close to something, you are not far away from it. She left an hour ago, and he was very close behind. I like to keep my phone close at hand so I can get it quickly. They stood close together.

More »

the Determiner

— Used, instead of a, to reference something specific, already known to exist. Compare "I read a book." and "I read the book." — Used with a stress, to show that the word following is special. Are you the John Smith that I went to school with? — Used with an adjective that acts like a noun to mean all of the people concerned The poor are always with us. — Used with superlatives forms of adjectives and adverbs. You are the best.

More »

door Noun

— A piece of a wall that can be opened (leaving a hole in the wall to walk through) or closed (covering the hole). Some doors are on hinges; others slide. Please open the door for him. His hands are full.

More »