close in

se rapprocher de, cerner

Se rapprocher de quelqu’un qu’on cherche à attraper.

En anglais simple : To move nearer to someone you are trying to catch.

• The police are closing in.
• Hunters closed in on the injured animal.
• Can the thieves escape before the officers close in on them?

Comment l'utiliser : close in on someone/something (The police were closing in on the suspect.)

Synonymes : approach, gain on

Contraires : retreat

Expressions courantes : close in on someone, close in slowly

se refermer sur, enserrer

Se rapprocher de quelqu’un ou de quelque chose de tous côtés, en réduisant l’espace libre.

En anglais simple : To move nearer from around someone or something, leaving less open space.

• The fog was closing in.
• Trees closed in around the narrow path.
• The walls seemed to close in on him in the tiny room.

Comment l'utiliser : close in around someone/something (The crowd closed in around the performers.); close in on someone/something (The walls seemed to close in on her.)

Synonymes : surround, encroach

Contraires : recede

Expressions courantes : close in around someone, close in on something

enclore, enfermer

Entourer un espace ou un objet de murs ou d’autres barrières pour l’enfermer.

En anglais simple : To surround something with walls or another barrier, shutting it inside.

• They closed the porch in.
• New walls closed in the small courtyard.
• We could close in this space to make another room.

Comment l'utiliser : close something in (They closed the porch in with glass panels.)

Synonymes : enclose, box in

Expressions courantes : close something in, close in something