Close

Posted by ESC on May 25, 2007

In Reply to: Close posted by R. Berg on May 24, 2007

: : : Where does the phrase "it's close" in relation to weather, come from?

: : My take on the word: Hot, stifling. The air isn't moving.

: To take it one step further: Hot and still air, especially if damp, feels oppressive, like something closing in on you. Outdoors, you feel as if you were in a closed room. ~rb

This made me think of a scene from a movie, "Throw Momma from the Train." I went searching and found a link back here. (Have we discussed EVERYTHING on Phrase Finder?) But anyway, again this reminds me of an exchange between Billy Crystal's character, a writer, and the mean mother of one of his writing students. He is desperately struggling for a word and she comes up with it easily.

Larry: The night was hot. Wait. No. The night, the night was humid. The night was humid, no wait, hot, hot. The night was hot. The night was hot and wet, wet and hot. The night was wet and hot, hot and wet, wet and hot; that's humid. The night was humid.

Mrs. Lift: The night was sultry.