English Dictionary

Definition of “open”

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open (ˈəʊpənnPronunciation for open) 

Definitions

adjective

  1. not closed or barred  ⇒ the door is open 
  2. affording free passage, access, view, etc; not blocked or obstructed  ⇒ the road is open for traffic 
  3. not sealed, fastened, or wrapped  ⇒ an open package 
  4. having the interior part accessible  ⇒ an open drawer 
  5. extended, expanded, or unfolded  ⇒ an open newspaper an open flower 
  6. ready for business  ⇒ the shops are open 
  7. able to be obtained; available  ⇒ the position advertised last week is no longer open 
  8. unobstructed by buildings, trees, etc  ⇒ open countryside 
  9. free to all to join, enter, use, visit, etc  ⇒ an open competition 
  10. unengaged or unoccupied  ⇒ the doctor has an hour open for you to call 
  11. See open season
  12. not decided or finalized  ⇒ an open question 
  13. ready to entertain new ideas; not biased or prejudiced  ⇒ an open mind 
  14. unreserved or candid  ⇒ she was very open in her description 
  15. liberal or generous  ⇒ an open hand 
  16. extended or eager to receive (esp in the phrase with open arms)
  17. exposed to view; blatant  ⇒ open disregard of the law 
  18. liable or susceptible  ⇒ you will leave yourself open to attack if you speak 
  19. (of climate or seasons) free from frost; mild
  20. free from navigational hazards, such as ice, sunken ships, etc  ⇒ open water 
  21. US without legal restrictions or enforceable regulations, esp in relation to gambling, vice, etc  ⇒ an open town 
  22. without barriers to prevent absconding  ⇒ an open prison 
  23. having large or numerous spacing or apertures  ⇒ open ranks 
  24. full of small openings or gaps; porous  ⇒ an open texture 
  25. printing (of type matter) generously leaded or widely spaced
  26. music 
    1. (of a violin or guitar string) not stopped with the finger
    2. (of a pipe, such as an organ pipe) not closed at either end
    3. (of a note) played on such a string or pipe
  27. business 
    1. in operation; active  ⇒ an open account 
    2. unrestricted; unlimited  ⇒ open credit open insurance cover 
  28. See open cheque
  29. (of a return ticket) not specifying a date for travel
  30. sport 
    1. (of a goal, court, etc) unguarded or relatively unprotected  ⇒ the forward missed an open goal 
    2. (of a stance, esp in golf) characterized by the front of the body being turned forward
  31. (of a wound) exposed to the air
  32. (esp of the large intestine) free from obstruction
  33. undefended and of no military significance  ⇒ an open city 
  34. phonetics 
    1. denoting a vowel pronounced with the lips relatively wide apart
    2. denoting a syllable that does not end in a consonant, as in denoting a syllable that does not end in a consonant, as in pa
  35. chess (of a file) having no pawns on it
  36. mathematics (of a set) containing points whose neighbourhood consists of other points of the same set  ⇒ points inside a circle are an open set 
  37. computing (of software or a computer system) designed to an internationally agreed standard in order to allow communication between computers, irrespective of size, maufacturer, etc

verb

  1. to move or cause to move from a closed or fastened position  ⇒ to open a window 
  2. intr, foll by on or onto to render, be, or become accessible or unobstructed  ⇒ to open a road to open a parcel the door opens into the hall 
  3. (intr) to come into or appear in view  ⇒ the lake opened before us 
  4. (tr) to puncture (a boil) so as to permit drainage
  5. to extend or unfold or cause to extend or unfold  ⇒ to open a newspaper 
  6. to disclose or uncover or be disclosed or uncovered  ⇒ to open one's heart 
  7. to cause (the mind) to become receptive or (of the mind) to become receptive
  8. to operate or cause to operate  ⇒ to open a shop 
  9. intr, sometimes foll by out to make or become less compact or dense in structure  ⇒ to open ranks 
  10. to set or be set in action; start  ⇒ to open a discussion to open the batting 
  11. (tr) to arrange for (a bank account, savings account, etc) usually by making an initial deposit
  12. to turn to a specified point in (a book, magazine, etc)  ⇒ open at page one 
  13. law to make the opening statement in (a case before a court of law)
  14. (intr) cards to bet, bid, or lead first on a hand

noun

  1. See the open
  2. See open air
  3. sport a competition which anyone may enter
  4. See bring into the open
  5. See come into the open

See also

open up

Alternative Forms

ˈopenable adjective ˈopenly adverb ˈopenness noun

Word Origin

Old English; related to Old French open, epen,  Old Saxon opan,  Old High German offan

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= unclosed, unlocked, ajar, unfastened, yawning, gaping, unlatched, unbolted, partly open unbarred, opN off the latch
= unsealed, unstoppered opN
= extended, expanded, unfolded, stretched out, spread out, unfurled, straightened out, unrolled, opN
= frank, direct, natural, plain, innocent, straightforward, sincere, transparent, honest, candid, truthful, upfront, plain-spoken, above board, unreserved, artless, ingenuous, guileless, straight from the shoulder, opN
= obvious, clear, frank, plain, apparent, visible, patent, evident, distinct, pronounced, manifest, transparent, noticeable, blatant, conspicuous, downright, overt, unmistakable, palpable, recognizable, avowed, flagrant, perceptible, much in evidence undisguised, unsubtle, barefaced, unconcealed, opN
= receptive, welcoming, sympathetic, responsive, amenable, opN
= susceptible, subject, exposed, vulnerable, in danger, disposed, liable, wide open, unprotected, at the mercy of, left open laid bare an easy target for undefended, laid open defenceless against unfortified, opN
= unresolved, doubtful, unsettled, unanswered, undecided, debatable, unsolved, up in the air, moot, arguable, yet to be decided opN
= clear, free, passable, uncluttered, unhindered, unimpeded, navigable, unobstructed, unhampered, opN
= unenclosed wide, rolling, sweeping, exposed, extensive, bare, spacious, wide-open, undeveloped, uncrowded, unfenced not built-up unsheltered opN
= undone, gaping, unbuttoned, unzipped, agape, unfastened, opN
= available, to hand, accessible, handy, vacant, on hand, obtainable, attainable, at your fingertips at your disposal opN
= general, public, free, catholic, broad, universal, blanket, unconditional, across-the-board, unqualified, all-inclusive, unrestricted, overarching, free to all nondiscriminatory, opN one-size-fits-all,
= vacant, free, available, empty, up for grabs, unoccupied, unfilled, unengaged, opN
= generous, kind, liberal, charitable, benevolent, prodigal, bountiful, open-handed, unstinting, beneficent, bounteous, munificent, ungrudging, opN
= gappy, loose, lacy, porous, honeycombed, spongy, filigree, fretted, holey, openwork,
= unfasten, unlock, unclasp, throw wide unbolt, opN unbar, unclose, unzip,
= unwrap, uncover, undo, unravel, untie, unstrap, unseal, unlace, opN
= uncork, crack (open) broach, opN
= unfold, spread (out) expand, stretch out, unfurl, unroll, opN
= clear, unblock, opN
= undo, loosen, unbutton, unfasten, opN
= begin business start trading begin trading admit customers opN
= start, begin, launch, trigger, kick off, initiate, commence, get going instigate, kick-start, inaugurate, set in motion get (something) off the ground enter upon, opN
= begin, start, commence, opN
= split, break, separate, crack, burst, break up, give way, gape, rupture, come apart, opN
= reveal, bare, exhibit, disclose, divulge, lay bare, expose to view opN

Translations

  • British English: open Pronunciation for open You use open to describe something which has been opened....an open window.ˈəʊpn ADJECTIVE ...an open window.
  • Spanish: abierto Pronunciation for abierto adj abierta
  • French: ouvert Pronunciation for ouvert adj
  • German: offen Pronunciation for offen adj
  • Chinese: 开着的Pronunciation for 开着的 adj
  • Arabic: مَفْتُوحٌPronunciation for مَفْتُوحٌ adj
  • Portuguese: abertoPronunciation for aberto adj aberta
  • Russian: открытыйPronunciation for открытый adj открытая
  • Croatian: otvorenPronunciation for otvoren adj otvorena
  • Czech: otevřenýPronunciation for otevřený adj
  • Danish: åbenPronunciation for åben adj
  • Dutch: openPronunciation for open adj
  • Finnish: avoinPronunciation for avoin adj
  • Greek: ανοικτόςPronunciation for ανοικτός adj ανοικτή
  • Italian: apertoPronunciation for aperto adj aperta
  • Japanese: 開いたPronunciation for 開いた no_posp
  • Korean: 열린Pronunciation for 열린 adj
  • Norwegian: åpenPronunciation for åpen adj åpne
  • Polish: otwartyPronunciation for otwarty adj otwarta
  • Brazilian Portuguese: abertoPronunciation for aberto adj aberta
  • European Spanish: abierto Pronunciation for abierto adj abierta
  • Swedish: öppenPronunciation for öppen adj öppet
  • Thai: เปิดออกPronunciation for เปิดออก adj
  • Turkish: açıkPronunciation for açık adj
  • Vietnamese: mởPronunciation for mở adj
  • British English: open Pronunciation for open When you open something, or when it opens, you move it or it moves so that it is no longer closed.She opened the door. The front door opened.ˈəʊpn VERB She opened the door. The front door opened.
  • Spanish: abrir Pronunciation for abrir v
  • French: ouvrir Pronunciation for ouvrir vt
  • German: öffnen Pronunciation for öffnen v
  • Chinese: 打开Pronunciation for 打开 vt
  • Arabic: يُفْتَحُPronunciation for يُفْتَحُ v
  • Portuguese: abrirPronunciation for abrir vt
  • Russian: открыватьPronunciation for открывать vt
  • Croatian: otvoritiPronunciation for otvoriti v
  • Czech: otevřítPronunciation for otevřít vt otevírat
  • Danish: åbnePronunciation for åbne v
  • Dutch: openenPronunciation for openen vt
  • Finnish: avataPronunciation for avata v
  • Greek: ανοίγωPronunciation for ανοίγω v
  • Italian: aprirePronunciation for aprire v
  • Japanese: 開けるPronunciation for 開ける v
  • Korean: (...을) 열다Pronunciation for (...을) 열다 vt
  • Norwegian: åpnePronunciation for åpne v
  • Polish: otworzyćPronunciation for otworzyć vt otwierać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: abrirPronunciation for abrir vt
  • European Spanish: abrir Pronunciation for abrir v
  • Swedish: öppnaPronunciation for öppna vt
  • Thai: เปิดPronunciation for เปิด vt
  • Turkish: açmakPronunciation for açmak vt
  • Vietnamese: mởPronunciation for mở v
  • British English: open When a shop or office opens, people are able to go in.The banks will open again on Monday morning. They opened the shop at nine o'clock.ˈəʊpn VERB The banks will open again on Monday morning. They opened the shop at nine o'clock.
  • French: ouvrir vi
  • Arabic: يَفْتَحُ v
  • Brazilian Portuguese: abrir vt

Usage examples

  • The living room ran into the dining room which was overlooked by the open kitchen: all white.
    Jon Cleary, YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002)
  • As well as the Wharf there is also a very good local Museum on Drake Road which is open from Easter to October.
    Country Life (2004)
  • Rarely has steeplechasing's most important race been more open.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • Moroccan open Ian Poulter shook off a bout of tonsilitis to claim the halfway lead in the Moroccan Open in Rabat.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • The surface of the left hemisphere of the brain was depressed, and when cut open found to be extensively collapsed.
    Jim Leavesley, George Biro, THE MEDICAL MYSTERIES E-OMNIBUS (2001)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'O'

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