From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishat close quartersat close quartersif something happens or is done at close quarters, it happens inside a small space or is done from a short distance away The troops had been fighting at close quarters. → close
Examples from the Corpus
at close quarters• From our hiding place we were able to observe the animals at close quarters.• There tactics were strongly influenced by reliance on line formation and fire-power, as against attack at close quarters.• This was the first time I had seen such poverty at close quarters.• Harry and I were tall and strong, not easy to attack at close quarters.• The battle continued at close quarters.• The girl must have been, as Martha had said, stagestruck: she had wanted to see Désirée at close quarters.• At close quarters a rifle is almost useless.• He wishes to inspect at close quarters all the actors in this drama.• I had seen it happen at close quarters because I am his caddie.• As the family kept vigil, the children saw at close quarters the stubborn determination of their stepmother. 