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to reclose

to reclose

1 3.7
To close something again after you open it
  • verb
  • /ˌriːˈkloʊz/
: volver a cerrar
  • As he reclosed it and jogged up the rickety flight of steps, I could make out only that he was male and slender.

Examples

  • I lay back against the pillow, exhaled a deep breath of troubled air, and reclosed my eyes.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • She ignored them and bade him good morning; he barely opened his eyes, croaked a hello, and reclosed his eyes.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • They had reclosed the iron gate.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Among the things I do pretty well at this point, I'd have to list darts, reclosing stay-fresh boxes, and keeping out of the way.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Seriously though, stop reclosing the blinds every time you see something that's got you off your meds.

    Blog text (5)
  • This did not seem to surprise her cat, who reclosed one eye and returned to a dream of plump, flightless sparrows.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Often "high" from her day at the office, she arrived this time positively radiant, forgetting even (I noted as I went to greet her) to reclose the garage door as usual from inside her car.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Farli chirruped queryingly, looked over her shoulder at the picture on the screen, and burbled once, reclosing her wings on her back.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • After checking the contents, she decided to reclose the box carefully to keep everything secure.

  • He struggled for a moment before finally managing to reclose the lid on the container.

Synonyms

to reseal
vsto reclose
5 2.8

Close something again so no air or liquid can enter

restores a plain shut position without making it airtight
to refasten
vsto reclose
1 3.6

To attach something again so it stays in place

puts it back into a shut position without naming the securing method
to reclasp
vsto reclose
7.9

To fasten a strap or chain again so it stays closed

puts something back into a shut position without needing a specific fastener

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

To make something not closed so you can get in

Surface Forms

reclose infinitive
reclosed past
reclosed past participle
reclosing present participle
recloses third person singular

Morphology

reclose = close (transparent) = re + close

The meaning is directly predictable as 'close again' from the common repetitive prefix 're-' added to 'close'.

Etymology

The word reclose is made of re- meaning 'again' and close meaning 'to shut', so it simply means to 'shut' something again. That's why you reclose a box or a lid to keep food or other things fresh.