Without a close

[Johnyxxx]

Hello,

Does without a close mean without a fence/railings?

No bell, as a matter of fact, loosed its tongue that stagnant half-hour. Unless then the walls beneath me already concealed a few such chance visitors as myself, All Hallows would be empty. A cathedral not only without a close but without a congregation--yet another romantic charm.

Walter de la Mare, All Hallows, 191?

Thanks a lot.

 

[Tarheel]

Dictionaries list archaic usages, and I am fairly sure this is one of those.

www.dictionary.com[SUP][/SUP]

Def.: an enclosed place or enclosure, esp. one about or beside a cathedral or other building.

 

[Rover_KE]

It's not an archaic usage of this definition of 'close' from the dictionary linked to above:

an enclosed place or enclosure, especially one about or beside a cathedral or other building.

 

[Tarheel]

That is true. It's not listed as archaic.

(The word "close" is an interesting one. It's a noun, a verb, an adjective, and an adverb.)

 

[Roman55]

Although as a verb it is pronounced one way, and as an adjective or adverb it is pronounced another way. As a noun both pronunciations exist, but they have different meanings.

 

[BobK]

:up: To clarify, in this case the last consonant is /s/; in the other meaning (ending/termination/...) the last consonant is /z/.

I'm surprised you didn't ask about 'loosed its tongue'. Well done :up: - but do ask if necessary. ;-)

b