Middle English Dictionary Entry
clōs adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | clōs adv. |
| Etymology | From clōs , ppl. of clōsen. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Tightly, firmly, securely (fastened, closed, held, surrounded); (b) close (to sth.), closely together; (c) so as to conceal; secretly.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.469 : Hire thombe sche holt in hire fest So clos withinne hire oghne hond, That there winneth noman lond.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)858 : A clyket hit cleȝt clos hym byhynde.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1655 : Þat watz cleȝt clos in his hert.
- (a1475) Recipe Painting(2) in Archaeol.J.1 (Sln 73)155 : Put it in a clos erden pot, and stoppe it wel and clos.
- a1500 Wast bryngyth (Cmb Ff.2.38)p.182 : Do wynde owt of þe bladdur vnpynde, It synkyþ in watur & ys clyppyd cloos.
b
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12501 : Thurgh the claterand clowdes, clos to the heuyn.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)70/19 : Þat Mantell sche helde cloos tofore her.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)151 : Eueriche of these wardes..rode forth a softe pas, kepynge clos.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.423 : Siluestris Merlyn..prophecied..Openliche, nouȝt so cloos As Merlyn Ambros.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4110 : Vndyr þe brygge þer is a swyke Couerde clos, ioynande queyntelyke.