at close quarters

In or occupying a cramped or rather small space with other people. The term "quarters" is a reference to military housing. I'm glad to be done with my student days. Living at close quarters with so many people just to afford rent is something I don't want to do again.

Crowded, in a confined space, as in We could use a lot more room; this tiny office puts us at close quarters. This idiom makes figurative use of quarters in the sense of "military lodgings" but originated in 18th-century naval warfare. When the enemy boarded a ship, the crew would retreat behind wooden barriers erected for this purpose and would continue to fire through loopholes. They thus were very near the enemy, fighting in close quarters. [c. 1800]

If you do something or something happens at close quarters, you do it or it happens very near you. The only wolf which I have seen at really close quarters looked surprisingly gentle. The press was able to witness at close quarters the arguments going on.

Crowded, in a confined space. The term comes from eighteenth-century naval warfare. Wooden barriers were placed at various points on a ship, so that when an enemy boarded, the crew could retreat behind them and fire at the enemy through loopholes. The crew then were said to be fighting in close quarters, that is, in close contact with the enemy. The term later was transferred to any close contact or crowded situation.