close down

Related to close down: by way of, at least, couldn't

close down

1. To cease business operations for any length of time (often permanently). I loved that restaurant, so I'm very disappointed that it closed down. That shop always closes down for two weeks in the summer to accommodate the owner's vacation.
2. To force a business to cease operations. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is often used between "close" and "down." After a thorough investigation, the police were finally able to close the shop down for money laundering.
See also: close, down
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

close someone or something down

to force someone or someone's business, office, shop, etc., to close permanently or temporarily. The health department closed the restaurant down. They closed down the same place last year, too.
See also: close, down

close down

 and shut down
[for someone] to close a business, office, shop, etc., permanently or temporarily. This shop will have to close down if they raise taxes. The fire department closed down all the stores on the block because of the gas leak.
See also: close, down

close something down and shut something down

to make something stop operating; to put something out of business. The police closed the illegal casino down. The manager shut down the factory for the holidays.
See also: and, close, down, shut
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

close down

1. Also, close one's doors; shut down. Go out of business, end operations. For example, If the rent goes up we'll have to close down, or After fifty years in business the store finally closed its doors, or The warehouse had a clearance sale the month before it shut down for good. Also see close up, def. 2.
2. Force someone to go out of business, as in The police raided the porn shop and closed it down. Both usages date from the early 1900s, but shut down was first recorded in 1877.
See also: close, down
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

close down

v.
1. To stop operating permanently or for an extended period of time. Used especially of businesses: After decades of serving the community, the gymnasium closed down.
2. To force someone or something, as a business, to stop operating: The cops closed down our poker game. I'd like to keep the shop running, but the recession will probably close my business down.
See also: close, down
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • close down and shut down
  • be down to (do something)
  • be down to something
  • come a gutser
  • bounce up and down
  • come down in buckets
  • come down with
  • be down to (one)
  • be down to somebody/something
  • bucket down
References in periodicals archive
The bank official further pointed out that the KCB management and the government will sort out the issues and instruction will be sent to entire KCB branches in South Sudan on how to operate if the government decided to close down their accounts in the bank.
S. Sudan Lakes state closes down accounts with Kenya bank
Fuat Avni claimed last week that President Recep Tayyip Erdoy-an is planning to confiscate property belonging to the CHP with the eventual goal of forcing the Constitutional Court to close down the party.
PM dismisses rumors of CHP's closure, proposes change in Constitution
They are either transferred to other programmes or the institutes close down only after the last batch graduates," said an AICTE official.
200 MBA institutes shut shop in 3 yrs
The telecoms operator said that it is taking steps to fully comply with the instruction to close down QVMS and remove the Virgin Mobile brand from the market.
Qatar's telecoms regulator orders Qtel's Virgin Mobile Service to be closed down
The Government ordered the BBC to close down all production at the BBC Pebble Mill in Birmingham and move to its pounds 2 billion new studios in Salford, Manchester.
Letter: Labour is anti-Brum
"When you close down a post office you close down a community," said CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes.
Posties 'to strike'
Their blog/webmasters do it because it's a bit of a blast and because it won't do anyone harm if they decide Antarctic rock climbing is more interesting and so close down their site/blog.
Browser: hot from taking down his decorations, Sutherland Lyall bags last year's blogs
A HUGE police presence is in place to deal with protesters who have vowed to close down Britain's biggest coal-fired power station.
TheWorldTonight: Police guard power station
CHIEF Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe says he is disappointed after Merseyside Police's request to close down one of the city's nightclubs was refused.
Police chief's disappointment after troubled club stays open
UPM KYMI MILL TO PERMANENTLY CLOSE DOWN TWO MACHINES.
UPM Kymi mill to permanently close down two machines
NORDIC BUSINESS REPORT-21 October 2005-UPM-Kymmene to close down two paper machines at UPM Kymi mill(C)1994-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com
UPM-Kymmene to close down two paper machines at UPM Kymi mill
said its Argentina subsidiary would stop writing new life insurance business, close down branch offices and eliminate about 650 jobs, after determining the business isn't profitable enough.
ING Group to close Argentina life business
And Ben Aladdin looks likely to close down aftercomplaints that no one could find it.
Steve McKenna: Pantos are not PC? Oh yes they are!
In 2001, in a move that surprised people nationwide, the town tried unsuccessfully to close down a performance of the innocuous Naked Boys Singing, saying it violated Provincetown's vague anti-adult entertainment bylaw.
P-town's angry clown: comic and playwright Ryan Landry combines nudity and activism to defend the spirit of his beloved Provincetown. (theater)