Meanings
- pluralplural of close quarter
- pluralplural onlyVery near proximity; cramped conditions.
They were fighting at close quarters.
5 more examples
Four-to-a-room is living in close quarters.
I was also advised to put on a belt and carry a short cudgel or bludgeon in it, for, as Jack truly remarked, the sling would be of little use if we should chance to come to close quarters with any wild animal.
1857, Robert Michael Ballantyne, The Coral IslandOne can love one's neighbours in the abstract, or even at a distance, but at close quarters it's almost impossible.
1880, Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by Constance Garnett, The Brothers KaramazovWith a sword and shield he could have let his enemies come to very close quarters with perfect impunity to himself and then have run them through with infinite ease.
1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Cave GirlHe was able to watch some of the younger players he introduced into the squad at close quarters and may be able to see them in England action once more against the Danes.
2020 September 5, Phil McNulty, “Iceland 0-1 England”, in BBC SportSynonyms: CQ
Synonyms & antonyms
nounVery near proximity; cramped conditions.
Origin
Translations
Czech těsné prostory
- těsné prostoryvery near proximity
German engster Raum, sehr enge Verhältnisse
- engster Raumvery near proximity
- sehr enge Verhältnissevery near proximity
Hebrew פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים
- פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים (panim el panim)very near proximity
Cite this entry
close quarters. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/close%20quarters
“close quarters.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/close%20quarters. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “close quarters,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/close%20quarters.
Source: close quarters on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.