to the greatest degree or extent or most advanced stage (`furthest' is used more often than `farthest' in this abstract sense); "went the furthest of all the children in her education"; "furthest removed from reality"; "she goes farthest in helping us"
to the greatest distance in space or time (`farthest' is used more often than `furthest' in this physical sense); "see who could jump the farthest"; "chose the farthest seat from the door"; "he swam the furthest"
approaching a particular destination; a coming closer; a narrowing of a gap; "the ship's rapid rate of closing gave them little time to avoid a collision"
final or ending; "the closing stages of the election"; "the closing weeks of the year"; "the closing scene of the film"; "closing remarks"
strictly limiting the reference of a modified word or phrase; "the restrictive clause in `Each made a list of the books that had influenced him' limits the books on the list to only those particular ones defined by the clause"