Etymology
1. c.1205, "to shut, cover in," from O.Fr.
clos- pp. stem of
clore "shut," from L.
clausus, pp. of
claudere "to close, block up, put an end to, enclose, confine," from PIE base
*klau- "hook, crooked or forked branch" (used as a bar or bolt in primitive structures); cf. L.
clavis "key,"
clavus "nail,"
claustrum "bar, bolt, barrier,"
claustra "dam, wall, barricade, stronghold;" Gk.
kleidos "bar, bolt, key,"
klobos "cage;" O.Ir.
clo "nail;" O.C.S.
kljucu "hook, key,"
kljuciti "shut;" Lith.
kliuti "to catch, be caught on,"
kliaudziu "check, hinder,"
kliuvu "clasp, hang;" O.H.G.
sliozan "shut," Ger.
schließen "shut,"
Schüßel "key;" M.Ir.
clithar "hedge, fence." Replaced O.E.
beclysan.
2. From Middle English closen (“to close, enclose”), partly continuing (in altered form) earlier Middle English clusen (“to close”) from Old English clȳsan (“to close, shut”); compare beclose, foreclose, etc.), and partly derived from Middle English clos (“close, shut up, confined, secret”, adjective), from Old French clos (“close, confined”, adjective), from Latin clausus (“shut up”, past participle), from claudō (“to bar, block, close, enclose, bring an end to, confine”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂w- (“key, hook, nail”), related to Latin clāvis (“key, deadbolt, bar”), clāvus (“nail, peg”), claustrum (“bar, bolt, barrier”), claustra (“dam, wall, barricade, stronghold”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō), κλείς (kleís, “bar, bolt, key”), Russian заключи́ть (zaključítʹ) (via ключ (ključ)), German schließen (“to close, conclude, lock”), Dutch sluiten (“to close, conclude, lock”). Partially replaced Old English lūcan (“to close, lock, enclose”), (whence English lock). Doublet of clause. See: Middle English '
clusen', Russian '
заключи́ть', German, old spelling '
schließen', Dutch '
sluiten'.
Verbs referencing "close"
Ido klozar.