A word/phrase for when something is very close to closed but not completely





.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty{ margin-bottom:0;
}






up vote
7
down vote

favorite
1












I am trying to describe a situation where the protagonist has intentionally left a door almost closed to make it appear closed, but has left enough of a gap for them to look through and spy. Therefore when describing the door I want it to read as though it is closed (because that is how it appears to the other characters), but at the same time subtly hint to the reader that it may not be completely closed. Otherwise if I describe it as closed, when the protagonist bursts through the door, the reader will feel cheated and wonder how the protagonist could see through the door to know when to attack. I have come up with the following examples:




  • The door was apparently closed.

  • The door looked closed.


But I'm not sure if there is a better way to describe this. It is a delicate balance between suggesting but not spoiling the element of surprise for the reader.






single-word-requests phrase-requests adjectives







share|improve this question






















  • I assume you don't want the protagonist to look through the keyhole?
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:27










  • Yes not through the keyhole.
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:36






  • 5




    The door was left open a crack.
    – Jim
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:42






  • 3




    The door is ajar.
    – Drew
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:36










  • @Jim - Please write an answer so I can upvote it.
    – aparente001
    Mar 20 '17 at 5:44

















up vote
7
down vote

favorite
1












I am trying to describe a situation where the protagonist has intentionally left a door almost closed to make it appear closed, but has left enough of a gap for them to look through and spy. Therefore when describing the door I want it to read as though it is closed (because that is how it appears to the other characters), but at the same time subtly hint to the reader that it may not be completely closed. Otherwise if I describe it as closed, when the protagonist bursts through the door, the reader will feel cheated and wonder how the protagonist could see through the door to know when to attack. I have come up with the following examples:




  • The door was apparently closed.

  • The door looked closed.


But I'm not sure if there is a better way to describe this. It is a delicate balance between suggesting but not spoiling the element of surprise for the reader.






single-word-requests phrase-requests adjectives







share|improve this question






















  • I assume you don't want the protagonist to look through the keyhole?
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:27










  • Yes not through the keyhole.
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:36






  • 5




    The door was left open a crack.
    – Jim
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:42






  • 3




    The door is ajar.
    – Drew
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:36










  • @Jim - Please write an answer so I can upvote it.
    – aparente001
    Mar 20 '17 at 5:44













up vote
7
down vote

favorite
1









up vote
7
down vote

favorite
1






1





I am trying to describe a situation where the protagonist has intentionally left a door almost closed to make it appear closed, but has left enough of a gap for them to look through and spy. Therefore when describing the door I want it to read as though it is closed (because that is how it appears to the other characters), but at the same time subtly hint to the reader that it may not be completely closed. Otherwise if I describe it as closed, when the protagonist bursts through the door, the reader will feel cheated and wonder how the protagonist could see through the door to know when to attack. I have come up with the following examples:




  • The door was apparently closed.

  • The door looked closed.


But I'm not sure if there is a better way to describe this. It is a delicate balance between suggesting but not spoiling the element of surprise for the reader.






single-word-requests phrase-requests adjectives







share|improve this question













I am trying to describe a situation where the protagonist has intentionally left a door almost closed to make it appear closed, but has left enough of a gap for them to look through and spy. Therefore when describing the door I want it to read as though it is closed (because that is how it appears to the other characters), but at the same time subtly hint to the reader that it may not be completely closed. Otherwise if I describe it as closed, when the protagonist bursts through the door, the reader will feel cheated and wonder how the protagonist could see through the door to know when to attack. I have come up with the following examples:




  • The door was apparently closed.

  • The door looked closed.


But I'm not sure if there is a better way to describe this. It is a delicate balance between suggesting but not spoiling the element of surprise for the reader.






single-word-requests phrase-requests adjectives




single-word-requests phrase-requests adjectives






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked Mar 20 '17 at 3:15









FrontEnd

194138




194138












  • I assume you don't want the protagonist to look through the keyhole?
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:27










  • Yes not through the keyhole.
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:36






  • 5




    The door was left open a crack.
    – Jim
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:42






  • 3




    The door is ajar.
    – Drew
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:36










  • @Jim - Please write an answer so I can upvote it.
    – aparente001
    Mar 20 '17 at 5:44


















  • I assume you don't want the protagonist to look through the keyhole?
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:27










  • Yes not through the keyhole.
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:36






  • 5




    The door was left open a crack.
    – Jim
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:42






  • 3




    The door is ajar.
    – Drew
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:36










  • @Jim - Please write an answer so I can upvote it.
    – aparente001
    Mar 20 '17 at 5:44
















I assume you don't want the protagonist to look through the keyhole?
– Spencer
Mar 20 '17 at 3:27




I assume you don't want the protagonist to look through the keyhole?
– Spencer
Mar 20 '17 at 3:27












Yes not through the keyhole.
– FrontEnd
Mar 20 '17 at 3:36




Yes not through the keyhole.
– FrontEnd
Mar 20 '17 at 3:36




5




5




The door was left open a crack.
– Jim
Mar 20 '17 at 3:42




The door was left open a crack.
– Jim
Mar 20 '17 at 3:42




3




3




The door is ajar.
– Drew
Mar 20 '17 at 4:36




The door is ajar.
– Drew
Mar 20 '17 at 4:36












@Jim - Please write an answer so I can upvote it.
– aparente001
Mar 20 '17 at 5:44




@Jim - Please write an answer so I can upvote it.
– aparente001
Mar 20 '17 at 5:44










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
6
down vote



accepted










You could say that the door was to
(Oxford):




ADVERB



So as to be closed or nearly closed.



‘he pulled the door to behind him’




and let the 'subtle hint' come from the ambiguity in that.






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    This is really good. So from an antagonist's POV: "Behind him he saw the door had been pulled to." Is that correct?
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:50












  • @FrontEnd That, or "he could see that the door was to". Whichever it is has to fit within the style of the narrator, of course.
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:54






  • 7




    I'm of two minds about this answer. The verb phrase pushed the door to was my first thought, but I don't think I've ever heard that a door was to. I wouldn't know what to make of that, without either pushed or pulled in there (between was and to).
    – 1006a
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:41






  • 3




    "Pulled the door to" doesn't necessarily mean it was not fully closed (at least in British English). Some types of door can close fully without having to operate the catch or the door knob, other types can not. As @1006a said, "the door was to" isn't idiomatic British English either.
    – alephzero
    Mar 20 '17 at 6:35


















up vote
18
down vote













See ajar at Oxford dictionary defined as




slightly open







share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    I always got the impression that ajar emphasises the state of being open, even if just slightly. So at the same time it cannot stress the state of being almost closed. Just my feeling, though, YMMV.
    – Erathiel
    Mar 20 '17 at 11:34






  • 2




    If something is only slightly open, then it stands to reason that it is almost closed!
    – TabbyCool
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:08






  • 1




    @TabbyCool I'm tempted to add almost closed to the oxford definition. If only I were the editor. :)
    – vickyace
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:25










protected by MetaEd♦ Nov 29 at 22:26



Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).



Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?














2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
6
down vote



accepted










You could say that the door was to
(Oxford):




ADVERB



So as to be closed or nearly closed.



‘he pulled the door to behind him’




and let the 'subtle hint' come from the ambiguity in that.






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    This is really good. So from an antagonist's POV: "Behind him he saw the door had been pulled to." Is that correct?
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:50












  • @FrontEnd That, or "he could see that the door was to". Whichever it is has to fit within the style of the narrator, of course.
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:54






  • 7




    I'm of two minds about this answer. The verb phrase pushed the door to was my first thought, but I don't think I've ever heard that a door was to. I wouldn't know what to make of that, without either pushed or pulled in there (between was and to).
    – 1006a
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:41






  • 3




    "Pulled the door to" doesn't necessarily mean it was not fully closed (at least in British English). Some types of door can close fully without having to operate the catch or the door knob, other types can not. As @1006a said, "the door was to" isn't idiomatic British English either.
    – alephzero
    Mar 20 '17 at 6:35















up vote
6
down vote



accepted










You could say that the door was to
(Oxford):




ADVERB



So as to be closed or nearly closed.



‘he pulled the door to behind him’




and let the 'subtle hint' come from the ambiguity in that.






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    This is really good. So from an antagonist's POV: "Behind him he saw the door had been pulled to." Is that correct?
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:50












  • @FrontEnd That, or "he could see that the door was to". Whichever it is has to fit within the style of the narrator, of course.
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:54






  • 7




    I'm of two minds about this answer. The verb phrase pushed the door to was my first thought, but I don't think I've ever heard that a door was to. I wouldn't know what to make of that, without either pushed or pulled in there (between was and to).
    – 1006a
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:41






  • 3




    "Pulled the door to" doesn't necessarily mean it was not fully closed (at least in British English). Some types of door can close fully without having to operate the catch or the door knob, other types can not. As @1006a said, "the door was to" isn't idiomatic British English either.
    – alephzero
    Mar 20 '17 at 6:35













up vote
6
down vote



accepted







up vote
6
down vote



accepted






You could say that the door was to
(Oxford):




ADVERB



So as to be closed or nearly closed.



‘he pulled the door to behind him’




and let the 'subtle hint' come from the ambiguity in that.






share|improve this answer












You could say that the door was to
(Oxford):




ADVERB



So as to be closed or nearly closed.



‘he pulled the door to behind him’




and let the 'subtle hint' come from the ambiguity in that.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered Mar 20 '17 at 3:44









Spencer

3,6011025




3,6011025








  • 1




    This is really good. So from an antagonist's POV: "Behind him he saw the door had been pulled to." Is that correct?
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:50












  • @FrontEnd That, or "he could see that the door was to". Whichever it is has to fit within the style of the narrator, of course.
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:54






  • 7




    I'm of two minds about this answer. The verb phrase pushed the door to was my first thought, but I don't think I've ever heard that a door was to. I wouldn't know what to make of that, without either pushed or pulled in there (between was and to).
    – 1006a
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:41






  • 3




    "Pulled the door to" doesn't necessarily mean it was not fully closed (at least in British English). Some types of door can close fully without having to operate the catch or the door knob, other types can not. As @1006a said, "the door was to" isn't idiomatic British English either.
    – alephzero
    Mar 20 '17 at 6:35














  • 1




    This is really good. So from an antagonist's POV: "Behind him he saw the door had been pulled to." Is that correct?
    – FrontEnd
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:50












  • @FrontEnd That, or "he could see that the door was to". Whichever it is has to fit within the style of the narrator, of course.
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 '17 at 3:54






  • 7




    I'm of two minds about this answer. The verb phrase pushed the door to was my first thought, but I don't think I've ever heard that a door was to. I wouldn't know what to make of that, without either pushed or pulled in there (between was and to).
    – 1006a
    Mar 20 '17 at 4:41






  • 3




    "Pulled the door to" doesn't necessarily mean it was not fully closed (at least in British English). Some types of door can close fully without having to operate the catch or the door knob, other types can not. As @1006a said, "the door was to" isn't idiomatic British English either.
    – alephzero
    Mar 20 '17 at 6:35








1




1




This is really good. So from an antagonist's POV: "Behind him he saw the door had been pulled to." Is that correct?
– FrontEnd
Mar 20 '17 at 3:50






This is really good. So from an antagonist's POV: "Behind him he saw the door had been pulled to." Is that correct?
– FrontEnd
Mar 20 '17 at 3:50














@FrontEnd That, or "he could see that the door was to". Whichever it is has to fit within the style of the narrator, of course.
– Spencer
Mar 20 '17 at 3:54




@FrontEnd That, or "he could see that the door was to". Whichever it is has to fit within the style of the narrator, of course.
– Spencer
Mar 20 '17 at 3:54




7




7




I'm of two minds about this answer. The verb phrase pushed the door to was my first thought, but I don't think I've ever heard that a door was to. I wouldn't know what to make of that, without either pushed or pulled in there (between was and to).
– 1006a
Mar 20 '17 at 4:41




I'm of two minds about this answer. The verb phrase pushed the door to was my first thought, but I don't think I've ever heard that a door was to. I wouldn't know what to make of that, without either pushed or pulled in there (between was and to).
– 1006a
Mar 20 '17 at 4:41




3




3




"Pulled the door to" doesn't necessarily mean it was not fully closed (at least in British English). Some types of door can close fully without having to operate the catch or the door knob, other types can not. As @1006a said, "the door was to" isn't idiomatic British English either.
– alephzero
Mar 20 '17 at 6:35




"Pulled the door to" doesn't necessarily mean it was not fully closed (at least in British English). Some types of door can close fully without having to operate the catch or the door knob, other types can not. As @1006a said, "the door was to" isn't idiomatic British English either.
– alephzero
Mar 20 '17 at 6:35












up vote
18
down vote













See ajar at Oxford dictionary defined as




slightly open







share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    I always got the impression that ajar emphasises the state of being open, even if just slightly. So at the same time it cannot stress the state of being almost closed. Just my feeling, though, YMMV.
    – Erathiel
    Mar 20 '17 at 11:34






  • 2




    If something is only slightly open, then it stands to reason that it is almost closed!
    – TabbyCool
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:08






  • 1




    @TabbyCool I'm tempted to add almost closed to the oxford definition. If only I were the editor. :)
    – vickyace
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:25















up vote
18
down vote













See ajar at Oxford dictionary defined as




slightly open







share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    I always got the impression that ajar emphasises the state of being open, even if just slightly. So at the same time it cannot stress the state of being almost closed. Just my feeling, though, YMMV.
    – Erathiel
    Mar 20 '17 at 11:34






  • 2




    If something is only slightly open, then it stands to reason that it is almost closed!
    – TabbyCool
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:08






  • 1




    @TabbyCool I'm tempted to add almost closed to the oxford definition. If only I were the editor. :)
    – vickyace
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:25













up vote
18
down vote










up vote
18
down vote









See ajar at Oxford dictionary defined as




slightly open







share|improve this answer












See ajar at Oxford dictionary defined as




slightly open








share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered Mar 20 '17 at 3:22









vickyace

13.7k976100




13.7k976100








  • 1




    I always got the impression that ajar emphasises the state of being open, even if just slightly. So at the same time it cannot stress the state of being almost closed. Just my feeling, though, YMMV.
    – Erathiel
    Mar 20 '17 at 11:34






  • 2




    If something is only slightly open, then it stands to reason that it is almost closed!
    – TabbyCool
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:08






  • 1




    @TabbyCool I'm tempted to add almost closed to the oxford definition. If only I were the editor. :)
    – vickyace
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:25














  • 1




    I always got the impression that ajar emphasises the state of being open, even if just slightly. So at the same time it cannot stress the state of being almost closed. Just my feeling, though, YMMV.
    – Erathiel
    Mar 20 '17 at 11:34






  • 2




    If something is only slightly open, then it stands to reason that it is almost closed!
    – TabbyCool
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:08






  • 1




    @TabbyCool I'm tempted to add almost closed to the oxford definition. If only I were the editor. :)
    – vickyace
    Mar 20 '17 at 12:25








1




1




I always got the impression that ajar emphasises the state of being open, even if just slightly. So at the same time it cannot stress the state of being almost closed. Just my feeling, though, YMMV.
– Erathiel
Mar 20 '17 at 11:34




I always got the impression that ajar emphasises the state of being open, even if just slightly. So at the same time it cannot stress the state of being almost closed. Just my feeling, though, YMMV.
– Erathiel
Mar 20 '17 at 11:34




2




2




If something is only slightly open, then it stands to reason that it is almost closed!
– TabbyCool
Mar 20 '17 at 12:08




If something is only slightly open, then it stands to reason that it is almost closed!
– TabbyCool
Mar 20 '17 at 12:08




1




1




@TabbyCool I'm tempted to add almost closed to the oxford definition. If only I were the editor. :)
– vickyace
Mar 20 '17 at 12:25




@TabbyCool I'm tempted to add almost closed to the oxford definition. If only I were the editor. :)
– vickyace
Mar 20 '17 at 12:25





protected by MetaEd♦ Nov 29 at 22:26



Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).



Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?



-