different between closely vs chockablock

English

Etymology

close +? -ly

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kl??sli?/

Adverb

closely (comparative closelier or more closely, superlative closeliest or most closely)

1. In a close manner.

   Finnish and Estonian are closely related languages.

   The borderline between East and West Berlin was very closely guarded.

   The chairs are too closely spaced; could you move them apart?
2. (obsolete) secretly; privately

Translations

Anagrams

• colleys

English

Alternative forms

• chock-a-block
• chock a block
• choc-a-bloc

Etymology

chock + a + block

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?t??k??bl?k/

Adjective

chockablock (comparative more chockablock, superlative most chockablock)

1. (nautical) (of a ship's hoisting tackle) Having the blocks drawn close together so no further movement is possible, as when the tackle is hauled to the utmost.
2. (by extension) Jammed tightly together; very crowded; completely filled or stuffed.

   Some of Sardinia's gorgeous seaside towns have lately been invaded by builders who erected chockablock housing that catered to middle-income tourists but threatened to spoil the landscape.

Derived terms

• chock
• chocka
• chocker
• chockers
• chokka

Translations

Adverb

chockablock (comparative more chockablock, superlative most chockablock)

1. In a crowded manner; as completely or closely as possible.

   His study had books stacked chockablock on every shelf.

   The meeting hall was chockablock full of angry citizens.

   • 2012, The Economist, Oct 13th 2012, Free exchange: Concrete gains

     AMERICA is full of vast, empty spaces. Europe, by contrast, seems chock-a-block with humanity, its history shaped by a lack of continental elbowroom.

Related terms

• chockful, chockfull, chock-full, chock full