closely knit
1
3.7
- adjective
:
unido
- His closely knit family always gathers for holidays and celebrations.
- a closely knit group
- a closely knit family
- a closely knit community
It's about love and it's about a close knit relationship.
- It's about love and it's about a close knit relationship.
Examples
-
Teachers must be able to perform guidance and counseling functions in a closely-knit school.
Academic text (2008) -
Some marriages are richer affiliations than others; some neighborhoods are much more closely knit than others, and so on.
Academic text (1991) -
In these closely knit tribes, people will give more to their friends and people they respect.
Blog text (23) -
The dispute has played like a soap opera set within the closely-knit island community.
Blog text (12) -
Female students were empowered to form a closely knit group.
Academic text (1994) -
On the one hand, Francois-Rene loves being surrounded by the closely knit Bedee family.
Academic text (1996) -
The new migrants, who previously had resided in closely knit villages, had to adjust to life in crowded urban neighborhoods.
Academic text (1995) -
In this third volume of the trilogy, Laxalt portrays the Indart family as a closely knit unit where each of its members contributes to the well-being of the others.
Academic text (2003) -
Despite their differences, the members of the club are a closely knit group who support each other.
-
She grew up in a closely knit community where everyone knew each other's names.
Synonyms
22
3.9
A group of people with strong caring ties who support each other
16
3.6
People in a group who know each other well and help each other
3
3.7
A group whose members are close and support each other
Closely joined or organized so the parts form a strong whole
Antonyms
How United
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'united or held together' is directly derivable from combining 'closely' (in a near/intimate way) with 'knit' (to join or bind together). The metaphorical use of 'knit' for social bonds is transparent and common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Closely knit comes from the simple picture of knitting: when you knit threads very closely, they make a strong piece of cloth that holds together. So a 'closely knit' group is like that cloth — the people stay together and support each other, meaning they are 'united' or 'held together'.