close quarters en

  • 1Close Quarters — may refer to: Close Quarters (Golding), a novel by Sir William Golding. Close Quarters, a novel by Kenneth Bulmer, writing as Adam Hardy. Close Quarters, a novel by Jeff Gulvin. Close Quarters, a novel by Larry Heinemann. Close Quarters, a film… …

    Wikipedia

  • 2close quarters — 1753, originally nautical, and reflecting the confusion of CLOSE (Cf. close) (v.) and CLOSE (Cf. close) (adj.); now understood of proximity, but orig. closed space on ship board where last stand could be made against boarders [Weekley]. Cf. also… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 3close quarters — Close fights Close fights , n. pl. (Naut.) Barriers with loopholes, formerly erected on the deck of a vessel to shelter the men in a close engagement with an enemy s boarders; called also {close quarters}. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4close quarters — [klōs] n. 1. Historical an enclosed space on a ship, in which a last stand could be made against boarders 2. space that is narrow or crowded 3. hand to hand encounter with an enemy …

    English World dictionary

  • 5close quarters — /kloʊs ˈkwɔtəz / (say klohs kwawtuhz) plural noun 1. a small, cramped place or position: *the three of them living at such close quarters you could hear one another s coughs, groans, dreams almost, anywhere inside the echoing house. –patrick… …

  • 6close quarters — noun plural Date: 1809 immediate contact or close range < fought at close quarters > …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 7close quarters — /klohs/ 1. a small, cramped place or position. 2. direct and close contact in a fight: They met at close quarters, exchanging many quick jabs. [1745 55] * * * …

    Universalium

  • 8close quarters — {n. phr.} Limited, cramped space. * /With seven boy scouts in a tent, they were living in very close quarters./ …

    Dictionary of American idioms

  • 9close quarters — {n. phr.} Limited, cramped space. * /With seven boy scouts in a tent, they were living in very close quarters./ …

    Dictionary of American idioms

  • 10close quarters — noun Very near proximity. They were fighting at close quarters …

    Wiktionary