closet

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++clos·et1 /ˈklɒzɪt $ ˈklɑː-, ˈklɒː-/ ●●● S3 noun [countable]  1  especially American EnglishDHF a cupboard built into the wall of a room from the floor to the ceiling 壁橱 → wardrobe a closet full of beautiful clothes 满是漂亮衣服的壁橱2  come out of the closet a) ADMITto tell people that you are homosexual after hiding the fact 公开自己的同性恋身份 SYN come out b) ADMITto admit something or to start to discuss something that was kept secret before 公开承认秘密；公开以前保密的事3. be in the closet American English informal to not tell people that you are homosexual 隐瞒自己的同性恋身份 → water closet, → a skeleton in the closet at skeleton(5)

Examples from the Corpus

closet• I have a closet full of clothes that don't fit.• She threw me in a closet and tied me up.• As for toilet facilities, I have an earth closet so the lack of water does not affect that side of things.• The man's wife had wasted no time going through his closets picking up worn and odd pairs.• Are all your cupboards or closets crammed full?• On the other hand, by downplaying her own commitment to gay rights, she seemed to be validating the political closet.• No point in drawing fire, he argued, as he put the broom back into the closet.• Coming out of the closet is more significant to white lesbians.closet2 adjective  closet homosexual/alcoholic etc SECRETsomeone who is a homosexual etc but who does not want to admit it 不愿公开承认的同性恋/酗酒者等 a closet communist 秘密的共产主义者

Examples from the Corpus

closet• He finally came out in 1998, after years as a closet homosexual.closet3 verb [transitive]  ALONEto shut someone in a room away from other people in order to discuss something private, to be alone etc 把…引进密室会谈；把…关在小房间里be closeted with somebody All morning he’d been closeted with various officials. 整个上午他都在房间里和各种官员密谈。closet yourself Don’t let her closet herself away in her room. 别让她把自己关在房间里。n Grammar Closet is usually either passive or reflexive (=followed by myself/herself etc).→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

closet• Letterman closets himself with these women all day.• Tom spent most of his time closeted in his study, surrounded by his books.• Think of the many hours when the two of them are closeted in the den.• For an hour we were closeted with Colbert.• He was constantly closeted with the late King.be closeted with somebody• For an hour we were closeted with Colbert.• He was also back to the daily pile of paperwork and would be closeted with secretaries for much of the day.Origin closet1 (1300-1400) Old French clos “enclosed place”, from Latin clausum, from clausus; → CLOSE2

clos·et1 nouncloset2 adjectivecloset3 verb →n GRAMMAR1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

into Corpus wall a the built of cupboard a

closet

I

clos‧et¹ S3 /ˈklɒzət, ˈklɒzɪt $ ˈklɑː-, ˈklɒː-/ noun [countable]1. especially American English a cupboard built into the wall of a room from the floor to the ceiling ⇨ wardrobe:
    a closet full of beautiful clothes
2. come out of the closet
  a. to tell people that you are homosexual after hiding the fact
   SYN  come out
  b. to admit something or to start to discuss something that was kept secret before
3. be in the closet American English informal to not tell people that you are homosexual
⇨ water closet, ⇨ a skeleton in the closet at skeleton(5)

II

closet² adjective
closet homosexual/alcoholic etc someone who is a homosexual etc but who does not want to admit it:
    a closet communist

III

closet³ verb [transitive usually passive]
to shut someone in a room away from other people in order to discuss something private, to be alone etc
    be closeted with somebody
    All morning he’d been closeted with various officials.
    Don’t let her closet herself away in her room.