kloʊz daʊn
neutral
intermediate
- Base verb:
- close
- Particle:
- down
- Separable:
- Yes
What does "close down" mean?
- To stop operating permanently (business, factory)
- To force a business or organization to stop operating
- To turn off a computer or system completely
Examples
- The factory closed down after 50 years of operation.
- The health department closed down the restaurant.
- Many small businesses closed down during the recession.
- Close down your computer before you leave.
- The mine was closed down due to safety concerns.
How to use it
'Close down' implies permanent closure, unlike simply 'close' which can be temporary. 'Closedown' (noun, British) refers to the end of broadcasting.
Word order
Can be intransitive ('The shop closed down') or transitive ('They closed the shop down'/'closed down the shop').
Similar expressions
shut down
cease operations
close
terminate
Opposites
open
start up
establish
Related phrasal verbs
- close off
To block or seal an entrance or passage
- close up
To close and lock a building at the end of the day
- close in
To approach and surround from all sides
- turn down
To reduce the volume, heat, or intensity of something
- bring down
To cause something to fall or collapse
- go down
To decrease in price, level, or amount
Use it in a practice answer
Try "close down" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.