closer

Everyday

1. Nearer in distance: «Come closer». tree →
2. Nearer in time: «Closer to bedtime». tree →
3. More friendly or connected: «They became closer friends». tree →
4. More careful or exact: «Take a closer look». tree →
5. Nearer to a number or answer: «Your guess was closer». tree →

In the lessons

In maths: estimating — whose answer is closer to the real number; rounding to the closer ten; which number is closer to 50. In science: looking closer with a magnifying glass. In safety: don't go closer to a wild animal, a cliff edge or a fire; stand back. Phrases: come closer, closer to, closer look, get closer, closer and closer, closer than.

Examples

• Come closer so you can hear. tree →
• Take a closer look with the magnifying glass. tree →
• Is 47 closer to 40 or to 50? It's closer to 50. tree →
• Don't go any closer to the edge. tree →
• My guess of 20 was closer than yours. tree →
• The storm is getting closer. tree →
• My cousin and I became closer after the holiday. tree →
• The stars look closer than they are. tree →
• The others came closer to him. tree →

Note

Here «close» is said with a soft s: «klohss» (near), so «closer» is «KLOH-ser». The verb «close» (shut) has a z sound. In maths: «closer to 50» means the difference from 50 is smaller (50 − 47 = 3, but 47 − 40 = 7).

In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: The tradition often reads this proverb as showing that a true loyal friend can be dearer than family, and some say it hints at God as a friend. In the primary lessons: In maths: estimating — whose answer is closer to the real number; rounding to the closer ten; which number is closer to 50. In science: looking closer with a magnifying glass. In safety: don't go closer to a wild animal, a cliff edge or a fire; stand back. Phrases: come closer, closer to, closer look, get closer, closer and closer, closer than.

Examples

• There are friends that one hath to his own hurt; but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Writings PRO.18.24, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Here «close» is said with a soft s: «klohss» (near), so «closer» is «KLOH-ser». The verb «close» (shut) has a z sound. In maths: «closer to 50» means the difference from 50 is smaller (50 − 47 = 3, but 47 − 40 = 7).