close at hand

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Related to close at hand: on the other hand, old hand

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Adj.	1.	close at hand - close in space; within reach; "the town is close at hand" at hand close - at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other; "close to noon"; "how close are we to town?"; "a close formation of ships"
	2.	close at hand - close in time; about to occur; "retribution is at hand"; "some people believe the day of judgment is close at hand"; "in imminent danger"; "his impending retirement" imminent, impendent, impending, at hand close - at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other; "close to noon"; "how close are we to town?"; "a close formation of ships"

Translations

قَريب، غَيْر بَعيد عَن

nedaleko

nahe bei

à proximité

közvetlenül mellette

í næsta nágrenni; nálægur

tett ved

neďaleko

yakında

就在眼前

close¹

(kləus) adverb

1. near in time, place etc. He stood close to his mother; Follow close behind.

2. tightly; neatly. a close-fitting dress.

adjective

1. near in relationship. a close friend.

2. having a narrow difference between winner and loser. a close contest; The result was close.

3. thorough. a close examination of the facts; Keep a close watch on him.

4. tight. a close fit.

5. without fresh air. a close atmosphere; The weather was close and thundery.

6. mean. He's very close (with his money).

7. secretive. They're keeping very close about the business.

ˈclosely adverb

Look closely at him; She resembles her father closely.

ˈcloseness noun

close call/shave

a narrow (often lucky) escape. That was a close shave – that car nearly ran you over.

ˌclose-ˈset adjective

(of eyes etc) positioned very near each other.

ˈclose-up noun

a photograph or film taken near the subject and thus big in scale. The close-up of the model showed her beautiful skin.

close at hand

nearby; not far off. My mother lives close at hand.

close on

almost; nearly. She's close on sixty.

close to

1. near in time, place, relationship etc. close to 3 o'clock; close to the hospital; close to his mother.

2. almost; nearly. close to fifty years of age.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

'Being close at hand, widow, it would seem he has,' returned the blind man.

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I remember--and tell it here because, singularly enough, I recollected it then--that once in looking carelessly out of an open window I momentarily mistook a small tree close at hand for one of a group of larger trees at a little distance away.

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Cautiously he went now, for his nose told him that the quarry was close at hand, and presently from an overhanging bough he looked down upon Horta, the boar, and many of his kinsmen.

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All our Concord waters have two colors at least; one when viewed at a distance, and another, more proper, close at hand. The first depends more on the light, and follows the sky.

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A long, vague period intervened, and people looking out of the windows of upper rooms discovered the dark hulls of German airships, gliding slowly and noiselessly, quite close at hand. Then quietly the electric lights came on again, and an uproar of nocturnal newsvendors began in the streets.

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When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet, he is relying on the natural strength of his position.

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Close at hand, now, was a chance for a blood-curdling Alpine adventure.

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The curtain of jungle foliage rustled close at hand. The thing was but a few paces from his tree!

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When I supposed that his intended wife was here, and his marriage close at hand, how could I entertain the possibility of his voluntarily leaving this place, in a manner that would be so unaccountable, capricious, and cruel?

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'Too easy a death, too short, too quick--but the river runs close at hand. Oh!

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At last, in the further edge of that town I saw a small funeral procession -- just a family and a few friends following a coffin -- no priest; a funeral without bell, book, or candle; there was a church there close at hand, but they passed it by weeping, and did not enter it; I glanced up at the belfry, and there hung the bell, shrouded in black, and its tongue tied back.

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I had half a mind to change my plan and destroy their boats, but I feared that Silver and the others might be close at hand, and all might very well be lost by trying for too much.

close at hand

close1

close¹