From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishclose ranksclose ranksa) SUPPORT A PERSON, GROUP, OR PLANif people close ranks, they join together to protect each other, especially because their group, organization etc is being criticized b) NEARif soldiers close ranks, they stand closer together → close
Examples from the Corpus
close ranks• What happens in this situation has been well documented: Each group becomes more cohesive, as members close ranks.• She had done the unforgivable, and now we closed ranks against her.• The Arab world is closing ranks against terror and everyone understands that this means terror against us.• The male mafia will close ranks and deem such a woman unstable, neurotic and quite unsuitable for responsibility.• When she applied for promotion, the male managers all closed ranks and made sure she didn't get it.• The Republicans in Congress have closed ranks and refused to vote for the president's proposal.• For a time, none the less, the Congregationalist clergy closed ranks around the Suspect Mayhew against the great enemy that Caner represented.• He called for the Lebanese to close ranks behind his government.• President Nixon's staff were instructed to close ranks in response to the Watergate arrests.• Those who want to close ranks in this fashion will find themselves very lonely, however.• The Crevecoeurs had always closed ranks in times of crisis, hadn't they?• We must close ranks with them because we talk the same language. 