1a. Affording unobstructed entrance and exit; not shut or closed. b. Affording unobstructed passage or view: open waters; the open countryside.2a. Having no protecting or concealing cover: an open wound; an open sports car.b. Completely obvious; blatant: open disregard of the law.c. Carried on in full view: open warfare; open family strife.d.Sports Not closely defended by an opponent: an open receiver.3a. Not sealed or tied: an open package.b. Spread out; unfolded: an open book.4. Having interspersed gaps, spaces, or intervals: open ranks; an open weave.5a. Accessible to all; unrestricted as to participants: an open competition.b. Free from limitations, boundaries, or restrictions: open registration.c. Enterable by registered voters regardless of political affiliation: an open primary.d.Computer Science Of or relating to a file that can be accessed. 6a. Lacking effective regulation: an open town in which gambling predominated.b. Not legally repressed: open drug trafficking.7a. Susceptible; vulnerable: open to interpretation; an issue that is open to question.b. Willing to consider or deal with something: open to suggestions.8a. Available; obtainable: The job is still open.b. Available for use: an open account; the only course open to us.9. Ready to transact business: The store is open.10. Not engaged or filled: has an open hour for emergency cases.11. Not yet decided; subject to further thought: an open question.12a. Characterized by lack of pretense or reserve; candid: Please be open with me. See synonyms at frank1. b. Free of prejudice; receptive to new ideas and arguments: She listened to the proposal with an open mind.c. Generous: He is very open with his time.13.Printinga. Widely spaced or leaded. Used of typeset or other printed matter. b. Having constituent elements separated by a space in writing or printing: The word sea horse is an open compound.14.Musica. Not stopped by a finger. Used of a string or hole of an instrument. b. Produced by an unstopped string or hole or without the use of slides, valves, or keys: an open note on a trumpet.c. Played without a mute: an open wind instrument.15.Linguisticsa. Articulated with the tongue in a low position, as the vowel in far.b. Ending in a vowel or diphthong: an open syllable.16. Designating a method of punctuation in which commas and other marks are used sparingly. 17. Being in operation; live: an open microphone.18.New England Clear. Used of weather. See Regional Note at fair1. 19.Electricity Containing a gap across which electricity cannot pass: an open circuit.20.Mathematicsa. Of or relating to an interval containing neither of its endpoints. b. Of or being a set such that at least one neighborhood of every point in the set is within the set. c. Of or being a set that is the complement of a closed set. 21.Sportsa. Having the forward foot farther from the intended point of impact with the ball than the rear foot: an open batting stance.b. Held or swung with the top or outer edge of the striking face pointing slightly farther away from the objective than the lower or inner edge: The club struck the ball with an open face, causing a slice.
VERB:
Inflected forms: o·pened, o·pen·ing, o·pens
TRANSITIVE VERB:
1. To release from a closed or fastened position. 2. To remove obstructions from; clear. 3. To make or force an opening in: open an old wound.4a. To form spaces or gaps between: soldiers opening ranks.b. To break the continuity of; make a gap in: open a circuit.5a. To remove the cover, cork, or lid from. b. To remove the wrapping from; undo. 6. To unfold so that the inner parts are displayed; spread out: open a newspaper.7a. To get (something) going; initiate: open a campaign.b. To commence the operation of: open a new business.8.Games To begin (the action in a game of cards) by making the first bid, placing the first bet, or playing the first lead. 9. To make available for use: opened the area to commercial development; opened the computer file and retrieved some data.10. To make more responsive or understanding. 11. To reveal the secrets of; bare. 12.Sports To modify (one's stance), as in baseball or golf, so that it is open. 13.Law To recall (an order or judgment) for a reexamination of its merits.
INTRANSITIVE VERB:
1. To become open: The door opened slowly.2. To draw apart; separate: The wound opened under pressure.3. To spread apart; unfold. 4. To come into view; become revealed: The plain opened before us.5. To become receptive or understanding. 6a. To begin; commence: The meeting opened with a call to order.b. To begin business or operation: The store opens early on Saturday.7. To be performed, shown, or made available to the public for the first time: The play opens next week.8. To be priced or listed at a specified amount when trading begins: Shares opened high and fell sharply.9.Games To make a bid, bet, or lead in starting a game of cards. 10. To give access: The room opens onto a terrace.
NOUN:
1. An unobstructed area of land or water. 2. The outdoors: camping in the open.3. An undisguised or unconcealed state: brought the problem out into the open.4. A tournament or contest in which both professional and amateur players may participate.
PHRASAL VERB:
open up1. To spread out; unfold: A green valley opened up before us.2a. To begin operation: The new store opens up next month.b. To begin firing: The artillery opened up at dawn.3.Informal To speak freely and candidly: At last the frightened witness opened up and told the truth.4. To make an opening in by cutting: The surgeon opened up the patient's chest.5. To make available or accessible: open up new markets.6.Informal To accelerate. Used of a motor vehicle.
IDIOMS:
open fire To begin firing on. open (one's) eyes To become aware of the truth of a situation.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old English. See upo in Appendix I.
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