[f. as prec. + -NESS.] Close quality or condition.
† 1. Closed or shut up condition, confinement.
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, 218. For closenes of her vyrgynyte, bothe in hys concepcion and in hys byrthe.
1614. Bp. Hall, Recollect. Treat., 918. Some … longed for the open aire after so long closenesse. Ibid. (1644), Rem. Wks. (1660), 131. This sealing argues a long reservation and closenesse.
b. Her. of the wings of birds.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, III. xx. (1611), 156. In these … fowles, that are not much exercised in flight, you shall not need to speake of their closenesse.
c. ‘Narrowness, straitness’ (J.). Cf. CLOSE a. 2.
† 2. Secrecy, concealment, reticence. Obs.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1687), 210. Small diffrens betwéene cloosnes and consealyng.
a. 1623. Pemble, Justification by Faith (1629), 34. Arminius … vsed much closenesse and cunning conveyance.
1658. Whole Duty Man, x. § 16. 83. Any closeness a man uses in the acting of this sin.
1746. Wesley, Princ. Methodist, 9. There is Darkness and Closeness in all their Behaviour.
1775. Adair, Amer. Ind., Pref. The secrecy and closeness of the Indians as to their own affairs.
3. Retirement, seclusion, solitude.
1610. Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 90. All dedicated To closenes, and the bettering of my mind.
1612. Shelton, Quix., III. xi. (1620), 238 (R.). The care and closenesse, wherewithall her parents … haue brought her vp.
1834. R. Mudie, Brit. Birds (1841), I. 47. It is probable that they [quails] are more numerous … than appears to common observation. Their extreme closeness during the day appears to be the chief cause of this.
4. Want of free air or ventilation, as in a room that is shut up; a similar quality of the atmosphere in still sultry weather.
a. 1598. Turberv., in Hakluyt, Voy., I. 387 (R.). Faces … browne, by reason of the stoue, and closeness of the aire.
1708. Swift, Death Partridge. Almost stifled by the closeness of the room.
1780. Schotte, in Phil. Trans., LXX. 480. A tornado is preceded by a disagreeable closeness and weight in the air.
1865. Daily Tel., 25 Oct., 7/3. The sudden closeness of the weather.
5. Nearness or proximity of component elements: compactness, density, solidity.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 147. For the sake of its hardfastness or closeness.
1676. Grew, Anat. Plants, IV. I. v. § 2. Closeness or Density of the Parenchyma.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect. (1693), II. 18 (J.). But how could Particles so widely dispersed combine into that closeness of Texture?
1802. Dibdin, Introd. Classics, Advt. Smallness and closeness of the type.
6. Nearness to anything in space, time, amount, association, resemblance, etc.
1697. South, 12 Serm., I. 339 (J.). Certainly the Actions and Proceedings of Wise men run in a much greater closeness and coherence with one another.
1759. Johnson, Idler, No. 69, ¶ 8. The poets shook off their constraint, and considered translation as no longer confined to servile closeness.
1851. W. Greg, Creed Christendom, 227. The closeness and depth of his communion with the Father.
1884. H. D. Traill, in Macm. Mag., Oct., 436/2. In proportion to the closeness of the imitation.
1884. Manch. Exam., 9 May, 5/1. The present vote … shows by its closeness [159 against 155] the growth of Free-trade opinions.
7. Exactness, conciseness.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 363, ¶ 12. The Story … is drawn together with much Closeness and Propriety of Expression.
1779. Johnson, L. P., Blackmore, Wks. III. 190. The art of uniting ornament with strength and ease with closeness.
1850. L. Hunt, Autobiog., iv. (1860), 87. It is Pope’s wit and closeness that are the difficult things.
8. Niggardliness, stinginess, parsimony.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 264, ¶ 2. Irus judg’d … that while he could keep his Poverty a Secret, he should not feel the Weight of it; he improved this Thought into an Affectation of Closeness and Covetousness.
