enclose

• inclose (was as common as or more common than enclose until the early 1800s, is now uncommon)

From Middle English enclosen, inclosen, from Middle English enclos, from Old French enclose, feminine plural past participle of enclore, from Vulgar Latin *inclaudō, *inclaudere, from Latin inclūdō (doublet of include), from in- (“in”) + claudō (“to shut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- (“key, hook, nail”). Equivalent to en- +‎ close.

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ənˈkloʊz/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈkləʊz/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈkloʊz/
• Rhymes: -əʊz

enclose (third-person singular simple present encloses, present participle enclosing, simple past and past participle enclosed)

1. (transitive) To surround with a wall, fence, etc.

   to enclose lands

   • 2024 May 4, John Naughton, “The internet is in decline – it needs rewilding”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     The creative commons of the internet has been gradually and inexorably enclosed, much as agricultural land was by parliamentary acts from 1600 onwards in England.

2. (transitive) To insert into a container, usually an envelope or package.

   Please enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope if you require a reply.

• Until about 1820, it was common to spell this word, and the derived terms encloser and enclosure, with in- (i.e. as inclose, incloser, inclosure). Since 1820, the forms with en- have predominated.^[1]

• (to surround with a wall &c.): incastellate, encastellate (used for cisterns, fountains, &c.); see also fortify

• encircle
• encloser
• enclosable

• coleens