closet | |
1. s. (obsolete) Any private area, particularly bowers in the open air. | |
2. s. (now rare) Any private or inner room, particularly: | |
3. s. (obsolete) A private room used by women to groom and dress themselves. | |
4. s. (archaic) A private room used for prayer or other devotions. | |
5. s. (figuratively, archaic) A place of (usually fanciful) contemplation and theorizing. | |
6. s. (archaic) The private residence or private council chamber of a monarch. | |
7. s. (obsolete) A pew or side-chapel reserved for a monarch or other feudal lord. | |
8. s. A private cabinet, particularly: | |
9. s. (obsolete) One used to store valuables. | |
10. s. (archaic) One used to store curiosities. | |
11. s. (now chiefly US) One used to store food or other household supplies: a cupboard. | |
12. s. (figuratively) A secret or hiding place, particularly the hiding place in English idioms such as in the closet and skeleton in the closet | |
The closet can be a scary place for a gay teenager. | |
He's so far in the closet, he can see Narnia. | |
13. s. (now chiefly Scotland Ireland) Any small room or side-room, particularly: | |
14. s. (US) One intended for storing clothes or bedclothes. | |
15. s. (obsolete) (clipping of closet of ease) or later (UK) water closet: a room containing a toilet. | |
16. s. (heraldry) An ordinary similar to a bar but half as broad. | |
17. s. (Scotland, obsolete) A sewer. | |
18. adj. (obsolete) Private. | |
19. adj. Secret, especially with reference to gay people who are in the closet; closeted. | |
He's a closet case. | |
20. v. To shut away for private discussion. | |
The ambassador has been closeted with the prime minister all afternoon. We're all worried what will be announced when they exit. | |
21. v. To put into a private place for a secret interview or interrogation. | |
22. v. To shut up in, or as in, a closet for concealment or confinement. | |