open

1 adjective NOT CLOSED

1 DOOR/CONTAINER not closed, so that you can go through, take things out, or put things in: an open window | I guess I did leave the door open. | I can't get this milk open. | wide open (=completely open): The door was wide open and we could hear everything she said. | fly/blow/burst open: A suitcase fell off the cart and burst open. | push/slide/throw sth open: Fran flung the window open and screamed. | tear/rip sth open: He snatched the envelope from me and ripped it open.

2 EYES/MOUTH not closed: I was so sleepy, I couldn't keep my eyes open. | wide open (=completely open): Ben gaped at me, his mouth wide open.

3 BOOK a book that is open has its pages moved apart so that you can read it: A book lay open on the table.

4 NOT BLOCKED if a road or line of communication is open, it is not blocked and can be used: We try to keep the mountain roads open all through the winter.

5 CLOTHES not fastened: His shirt was open at the neck.

NOT ENCLOSED

6 (only before noun) not behind a cover or surrounded by a structure: goods displayed on the open shelves | An open fire is cosier than central heating.

7 open country/fields/space countryside where there are no buildings, walls etc: To the east, through miles of suburban streets, lay the open country.

8 the open sea sea that is far from any land: The battered boat slowly drifted out towards the open sea.

9 the open road roads that you can travel on freely or quickly: The thought of the open road is already making my feet itch.

NOT UNDER A ROOF/COVER

10 in the open air/(out) in the open outdoors: In the summer we have our meals in the open air. | It was too cold to spend the night out in the open.

—see also: open­air

11 NOT COVERED without a roof or cover: an open limousine | an open sewer | open to the sky/elements (=without a roof)

READY FOR SERVICE

12 SHOP/BANK ETC (not before noun) allowing customers to enter and ready to serve them: The bank is open until 12.00 on Saturdays.

13 DECLARE STH OPEN to officially state that a building is ready to be used, or that an organized event is ready to start: I now declare the exhibition open.

AVAILABLE

14 OPPORTUNITY be open to sb if an opportunity or possible action is open to you, you have the chance to do it: training opportunities open to science graduates | There is only one course of action open to me.

15 JOB (not before noun) a job that is open is available: Is the vacancy still open?

NOT RESTRICTED

16 an open competition, discussion etc is one that anyone can join in: the British Open Squash Championships

(+ to): The competition is open to men and women of all ages. | throw sth open to sb: The discussion was thrown open to the studio audience.

17 be open to the public/be open to visitors etc if a place is open to the public etc, anyone can enter or visit it: The bar is open to non-residents.

18 on the open market if something is sold on the open market, it is made available for anyone to buy: This house would sell for -300,000 on the open market.

19 an open invitation

a) an invitation to visit someone whenever you like

b) something that makes it easier for criminals to steal, cheat etc: An unlocked car is an open invitation to thieves.

NOT DECIDED

20 a choice or question that is open has been considered but not finally decided: Who will lead the new party is still an open question. | leave it open (=not decide yet)

21 keep/leave your options open to delay any decision so that you can choose later: a flexible fare package for executives who need to keep their options open

22 be open to discussion/negotiation if something is open to discussion etc, you can discuss it and suggest changes: The terms are open to negotiation.

23 keep/have an open mind to deliberately not make a decision or form a definite opinion about something: Try to keep an open mind on the subject until you've heard all the evidence.

24 be open to suggestions/offers to be ready to consider people's suggestions, or prices that people offer to pay: We're always open to suggestions about how we can improve our service.

NOT HIDING ANYTHING

25 (only before noun) actions, feelings, or intentions that are open are not hidden or secret: open threats against the president | Ralph was looking at her in open admiration. | open hostility/rivalry/rebellion: open rivalry between two of the big TV channels | open government (=a system of government where information is freely available) | in open court (=in a court of law where everything is public): allegations made in open court | (out) in/into the open (=no longer secret): The public has a right to know what has been happening. Let's get it out in the open. | an open secret (=something that is supposed to be secret but that most people know about): It was an open secret that he had links with far-right extremists.

26 HONEST honest and not wanting to hide any facts from other people

(+ with): Let's be completely open with each other. | frank and open discussions | a friendly open smile | open and above board (=done in a completely honest and legal way): We don't have to bribe anyone. It's all open and above board. OTHER MEANINGS

27 be open to criticism/blame/suspicion to be likely to be criticized, blamed etc: Such a remark is open to misinterpretation. | lay yourself (wide) open to criticism etc (=do or say something that will make it much easier for people to criticize you etc)

28 be open to question if someone's honesty, judgment etc is open to question there are doubts about it: Their motives are open to question.

29 keep your eyes/ears open to keep looking or listening so that you will notice anything that is important, dangerous etc

30 greet/welcome sb with open arms to be very pleased to see someone: Wealthy investors are usually welcomed with open arms.

31 be an open book to be something that you know and understand very well: The natural world was an open book to him.

32 open weave/texture cloth with an open weave or texture has wide spaces between the threads

— see also: keep an eye open for sth eye 1 (14), keep your eyes open eye 1 (15), with your eyes open eye 1 (38), open­eyed 2 verb OPEN

1 DOOR/WINDOW ETC

a) (T) to move a door, window etc so that people, things, air etc can pass through: Open all the windows and let some fresh air in.

b) (I) to be moved in this way: The bus doors open and close automatically.

2 CONTAINER/PACKAGE (T) to unfasten or remove the lid, top, or cover of a container, package etc: I've asked the waiter to open a bottle of champagne. | She opened the letters one by one and read them in silence.

3 EYES

a) open your eyes to raise your eyelids so that you can see

b) open sb's eyes (to) to make someone realize something that they had not realized before: Dan's remarks opened my eyes to the fact that he was only interested in my money.

4 MOUTH open your mouth to move your lips apart

5 BOOK (T) to turn the covers and pages of a book so that you can read it: Open your books to page 29.

6 OPEN A WAY THROUGH (T) to make it possible for cars, goods etc to pass through a place: They were clearing away snow to open the tunnel. | open a border/frontier (to): The new republic has opened its borders to foreign trade.

START

7 SHOP/RESTAURANT ETC

a) (I) If a shop or office opens at a particular time, it starts business at that time: What time do the banks open?

b) (I, T) if a new business such as a shop or restaurant opens or is opened, someone starts it: A new supermarket has opened. | plans to open a chain of restaurants

8 START AN ACTIVITY open an inquiry/investigation to start gathering information or opinions from a lot of people: Police have opened an investigation into the girl's disappearance.

9 MEETING/EVENT (I, T) if a meeting etc opens or is opened in a particular way, it starts in that way: Our chairman opened the conference by welcoming new delegates.

(+ with): The concert opens with Beethoven's Egmont Overture.

10 FILM/PLAY ETC (I) to start being shown to the public: Bertolucci's new film opens in London on March 15th.

11 OFFICIAL CEREMONY (T) to perform a ceremony in which you officially state that a building is ready to be used

12 open an account to start an account at a bank or other financial organization by putting money into it

SPREAD/UNFOLD

13 (I, T) if something that is folded opens or you open it, you make it spread out into a wide shape: His parachute failed to open. | I opened my umbrella.

14 FLOWER/LEAF (I) if a flower or bud opens, it spreads out wide: The buds are starting to open.

15 open your arms to stretch your arms wide apart: Marcus opened his arms in a welcoming gesture.

OTHER MEANINGS

16 open sth to the public to let people come and visit a house, garden etc: For the first time, Buckingham Palace has been made open to the public.

17 open the door/way to to make an opportunity for something to happen: a joint venture that opens the way to wider international co-operation | open doors: A degree no longer opens doors in the way it used to.

18 open fire (on) to start shooting at someone or something: Troops opened fire on the rioters.

19 open your mind to to be ready to consider or accept new ideas

20 the heavens opened it started to rain heavily

21 open your heart (to) to tell someone your real thoughts and feelings because you trust them

—see also: open the floodgates floodgate (1) open onto/into sth phrasal verb (T) if a room, door etc opens onto or into another place, you can enter that other place directly through it: The living room opens into the dining room. | patio doors opening onto the garden open out phrasal verb (I)

1 if a road, path, or passage opens out, it becomes wider

(+ into): Beyond the forest the path opened out into a track.

2 BrE if someone opens out, they become less shy: As she got to know us better, Lizzie gradually started to open out.

open up phrasal verb

1 LAND (I, T) if someone opens up an area of land, they make it easier to reach and ready for development: open sth up: They saw the new railroad as a means of opening up the far west of the country.

2 SHOP/RESTAURANT ETC

a) (I, T) if a shop, restaurant etc opens up or is opened up, someone starts it

b) (I) if a shop, office etc opens up at a particular time, it starts business at that time

3 DOOR/BOX (I, T) an expression meaning to open a door or something such as a box or case, often used to order someone to do this: Open up, this is the police. | open sth up: Is this your suitcase? Right, open it up.

4 OPPORTUNITY (I, T) if an opportunity opens up or is opened up, it develops: A new life was opening up before her. | open sth up: A move to New York would open up all kinds of exciting new possibilities.

5 WITH A GUN (I) to start shooting: The enemy opened up with machine guns.

6 DISAGREEMENT (I, T) if a disagreement opens up or is opened up between people, it starts to divide them: A rift has opened up, splitting the committee down the middle. | open sth up: The abortion issue may open up a split in the Democratic party.

7 TALK (I) to stop being shy and say what you really think: Once she knew she could trust me, Melissa started to open up.

8 HOLE/CRACK ETC (I, T) if a hole, crack etc opens up or is opened up, it appears and becomes wider

USAGE NOTE: OPEN WORD CHOICE: open, shut, close, undo, do up, turn on/off, switch on/off, open up You open, shut or close your mouth, eyes, doors, windows, boxes, bottles, and shops. You open meetings and debates, but you can only close (NOT shut) them: Madam Chair, I think we should close the meeting at eight. You undo or do up clothes: She did up her boots/shirt You turn water or gas on or off. You turn or switch electrical things on or off: Turn that radio off. | She opened her laptop and switched it on. You open up new opportunities or possibilities: Plans to open up the world of higher education to people from poor backgrounds. 3 noun the open

1 outdoors: in the open: It must be wonderful to be able to take your meals in the open every day.

2 in the open not hidden or secret: It was a great relief to know that it was all in the open at last. | bring sth (out) into the open: an opportunity to bring all your gripes out into the open

3 the Open a national golf competition: the US Open