"close ranks" meaning in All languages combined

See close ranks on Wiktionary

Verb [English]

Audio: en-au-close ranks.ogg Forms: closes ranks [present, singular, third-person], closing ranks [participle, present], closed ranks [participle, past], closed ranks [past]
Head templates: {{en-verb|*}} close ranks (third-person singular simple present closes ranks, present participle closing ranks, simple past and past participle closed ranks)
  1. (military) To close the spacing between lines (ranks) of troops, as they are deployed across a battlefield, thereby decreasing the depth of the formation as it faces the enemy side. Categories (topical): Military Related terms: circle the wagons
    Sense id: en-close_ranks-en-verb-kRyWwvbJ Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Arabic translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 41 41 18 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 36 38 26 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 40 43 17 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 38 41 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Arabic translations: 34 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 35 36 30 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 35 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 34 38 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 34 32 34 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations: 35 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 35 37 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 33 35 32 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 36 36 28 Topics: government, military, politics, war
  2. (figuratively) To regroup forces, especially when this involves overlooking differences in order to face a challenge or adverse situation. Often implies making a show of unity, especially to the public. Tags: figuratively Translations (to regroup forces): رَصّ الصُّفُوف (raṣṣ aṣ-ṣufūf) (Arabic), de rangen sluiten (Dutch), tiivistää rivejä (Finnish), serrer les rangs (French), die Reihen schließen (German), zárja a sorait (Hungarian), serrare i ranghi (Italian), serrare le fila (Italian), fare quadrato (Italian), 一致結束 (itchikessoku) (Japanese), slutte rekkene (Norwegian Bokmål), gjøre felles front (Norwegian Bokmål), zwierać szeregi [imperfective] (Polish), zewrzeć szeregi [perfective] (Polish), cerrar fileiras (Portuguese), смыка́ть ряды́ (smykátʹ rjadý) [imperfective] (Russian), сомкну́ть ряды́ (somknútʹ rjadý) [perfective] (Russian), cerrar filas (Spanish), hacer piña [colloquial] (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-close_ranks-en-verb-SulZeBWc Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Arabic translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 41 41 18 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 36 38 26 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 40 43 17 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 38 41 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Arabic translations: 34 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 35 36 30 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 35 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 34 38 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 34 32 34 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations: 35 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 35 37 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 33 35 32 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 36 36 28 Disambiguation of 'to regroup forces': 9 89 2
  3. (figuratively) To maintain silence and secrecy in the face of some external threat. Tags: figuratively
    Sense id: en-close_ranks-en-verb-9w3zXFaq Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Arabic translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 41 41 18 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 36 38 26 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 40 43 17 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 38 41 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Arabic translations: 34 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 35 36 30 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 35 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 34 38 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 34 32 34 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations: 35 37 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 35 37 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 33 35 32 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 35 36 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 36 36 28
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        "(military) To close the spacing between lines (ranks) of troops, as they are deployed across a battlefield, thereby decreasing the depth of the formation as it faces the enemy side."
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        "(figuratively) To regroup forces, especially when this involves overlooking differences in order to face a challenge or adverse situation. Often implies making a show of unity, especially to the public."
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          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "ar",
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          "roman": "raṣṣ aṣ-ṣufūf",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
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          "word": "serrer les rangs"
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          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "de",
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          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "word": "die Reihen schließen"
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          "code": "hu",
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          "code": "it",
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          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "word": "serrare i ranghi"
        },
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          "code": "it",
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          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "word": "serrare le fila"
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          "word": "fare quadrato"
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        {
          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "ja",
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          "roman": "itchikessoku",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "word": "一致結束"
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          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "word": "slutte rekkene"
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        {
          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "word": "gjøre felles front"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "zwierać szeregi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
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          "word": "zewrzeć szeregi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "word": "cerrar fileiras"
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          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "smykátʹ rjadý",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "tags": [
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          "word": "смыка́ть ряды́"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "somknútʹ rjadý",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "сомкну́ть ряды́"
        },
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          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "word": "cerrar filas"
        },
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          "_dis1": "9 89 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to regroup forces",
          "tags": [
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          "word": "hacer piña"
        }
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          "ref": "2007, Gina Marchetti, Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's Infernal Affairs:",
          "text": "However, the charges that the police closed ranks to protect Godber find a parallel in Wong's hearings.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 September 3, Kim Willsher, “French reporter who joined police exposes racism and violence”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Gendrot describes a “clannish” system that ensures officers close ranks to protect their own, leading to a sense of impunity.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 March 6, Adrian Fulford, R v Wayne Couzens, sentencing remarks, Paragraph 27:",
          "text": "It cannot be suggested in my view that the Metropolitan Police, even for a moment, attempted to close ranks to protect one of their own. Instead, remorselessly, efficiently and impartially the investigating officers followed all the available leads, resulting in an overwhelming case against the accused.",
          "type": "quote"
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      "glosses": [
        "To maintain silence and secrecy in the face of some external threat."
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      "id": "en-close_ranks-en-verb-9w3zXFaq",
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        "(figuratively) To maintain silence and secrecy in the face of some external threat."
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To close the spacing between lines (ranks) of troops, as they are deployed across a battlefield, thereby decreasing the depth of the formation as it faces the enemy side."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "military",
          "military"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(military) To close the spacing between lines (ranks) of troops, as they are deployed across a battlefield, thereby decreasing the depth of the formation as it faces the enemy side."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "military",
        "politics",
        "war"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To regroup forces, especially when this involves overlooking differences in order to face a challenge or adverse situation. Often implies making a show of unity, especially to the public."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "regroup",
          "regroup"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) To regroup forces, especially when this involves overlooking differences in order to face a challenge or adverse situation. Often implies making a show of unity, especially to the public."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Gina Marchetti, Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's Infernal Affairs:",
          "text": "However, the charges that the police closed ranks to protect Godber find a parallel in Wong's hearings.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 September 3, Kim Willsher, “French reporter who joined police exposes racism and violence”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Gendrot describes a “clannish” system that ensures officers close ranks to protect their own, leading to a sense of impunity.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 March 6, Adrian Fulford, R v Wayne Couzens, sentencing remarks, Paragraph 27:",
          "text": "It cannot be suggested in my view that the Metropolitan Police, even for a moment, attempted to close ranks to protect one of their own. Instead, remorselessly, efficiently and impartially the investigating officers followed all the available leads, resulting in an overwhelming case against the accused.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To maintain silence and secrecy in the face of some external threat."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "silence",
          "silence"
        ],
        [
          "secrecy",
          "secrecy"
        ],
        [
          "external",
          "external"
        ],
        [
          "threat",
          "threat"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) To maintain silence and secrecy in the face of some external threat."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-close ranks.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/11/En-au-close_ranks.ogg/En-au-close_ranks.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/En-au-close_ranks.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "raṣṣ aṣ-ṣufūf",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "رَصّ الصُّفُوف"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "de rangen sluiten"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "tiivistää rivejä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "serrer les rangs"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "die Reihen schließen"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "zárja a sorait"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "serrare i ranghi"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "serrare le fila"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "fare quadrato"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "itchikessoku",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "一致結束"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "slutte rekkene"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "gjøre felles front"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "zwierać szeregi"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "zewrzeć szeregi"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "cerrar fileiras"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "smykátʹ rjadý",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "смыка́ть ряды́"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "somknútʹ rjadý",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "сомкну́ть ряды́"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "word": "cerrar filas"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to regroup forces",
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ],
      "word": "hacer piña"
    }
  ],
  "word": "close ranks"
}

Download raw JSONL data for close ranks meaning in All languages combined (5.8kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-15 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (8a39820 and 4401a4c). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.