Definition Definition

open - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'open' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Open [ a.]
- Free of access; not shut up; not closed; affording unobstructed ingress or egress; not impeding or preventing passage; not locked up or covered over; -- applied to passageways; as, an open door, window, road, etc.; also, to inclosed structures or objects; as, open houses, boxes, baskets, bottles, etc.; also, to means of communication or approach by water or land; as, an open harbor or roadstead.
- Free to be used, enjoyed, visited, or the like; not private; public; unrestricted in use; as, an open library, museum, court, or other assembly; liable to the approach, trespass, or attack of any one; unprotected; exposed.
- Free or cleared of obstruction to progress or to view; accessible; as, an open tract; the open sea.
- Not drawn together, closed, or contracted; extended; expanded; as, an open hand; open arms; an open flower; an open prospect.
- Without reserve or false pretense; sincere; characterized by sincerity; unfeigned; frank; also, generous; liberal; bounteous; -- applied to personal appearance, or character, and to the expression of thought and feeling, etc.
- Not concealed or secret; not hidden or disguised; exposed to view or to knowledge; revealed; apparent; as, open schemes or plans; open shame or guilt.
- Not of a quality to prevent communication, as by closing water ways, blocking roads, etc.; hence, not frosty or inclement; mild; -- used of the weather or the climate; as, an open season; an open winter.
- Not settled or adjusted; not decided or determined; not closed or withdrawn from consideration; as, an open account; an open question; to keep an offer or opportunity open.
- Free; disengaged; unappropriated; as, to keep a day open for any purpose; to be open for an engagement.
- Uttered with a relatively wide opening of the articulating organs; -- said of vowels; as, the an far is open as compared with the a in say.
- Uttered, as a consonant, with the oral passage simply narrowed without closure, as in uttering s.
- Not closed or stopped with the finger; -- said of the string of an instrument, as of a violin, when it is allowed to vibrate throughout its whole length.
- Produced by an open string; as, an open tone.
2 . Open [ n.]
- Open or unobstructed space; clear land, without trees or obstructions; open ocean; open water.
3 . Open [ v. i.]
- To unclose; to form a hole, breach, or gap; to be unclosed; to be parted.
- To expand; to spread out; to be disclosed; as, the harbor opened to our view.
- To begin; to commence; as, the stock opened at par; the battery opened upon the enemy.
- To bark on scent or view of the game.
4 . Open [ v. t.]
- To make or set open; to render free of access; to unclose; to unbar; to unlock; to remove any fastening or covering from; as, to open a door; to open a box; to open a room; to open a letter.
- To spread; to expand; as, to open the hand.
- To disclose; to reveal; to interpret; to explain.
- To make known; to discover; also, to render available or accessible for settlements, trade, etc.
- To enter upon; to begin; as, to open a discussion; to open fire upon an enemy; to open trade, or correspondence; to open a case in court, or a meeting.
- To loosen or make less compact; as, to open matted cotton by separating the fibers.

Meaning of 'open' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . open [ n]
Meaning (1):
- information that has become public
Example in sentence:
  • all the reports were out in the open;
  • the facts had been brought to the surface
Meaning (2):
- where the air is unconfined
Example in sentence:
  • camping in the open;
  • he wanted to get outdoors a little;
  • the concert was held in the open air
Meaning (3):
- a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water
Example in sentence:
  • finally broke out of the forest into the open
4 . open [ v]
Meaning (4):
- become available
Example in sentence:
  • an opportunity opened up
Meaning (5):
- begin or set in action, of meetings, speeches, recitals, etc.
Example in sentence:
  • He opened the meeting with a long speech
Meaning (6):
- make the opening move
Example in sentence:
  • Kasparov opened with a standard opening
Meaning (7):
- cause to open or to become open
Example in sentence:
  • Mary opened the car door
Meaning (8):
- start to operate or function or cause to start operating or functioning
Example in sentence:
  • open a business
Meaning (9):
- spread out or open from a closed or folded state
Example in sentence:
  • open the map;
  • spread your arms
Meaning (10):
- have an opening or passage or outlet
Example in sentence:
  • The bedrooms open into the hall
Meaning (11):
- become open
Example in sentence:
  • The door opened
Meaning (12):
- afford access to
Example in sentence:
  • the door opens to the patio;
  • The French doors give onto a terrace
Meaning (13):
- make available
Example in sentence:
  • The publisher wants to distribute the book in Asia;
  • This opens up new possibilities
14 . open [ a]
Meaning (14):
- affording unobstructed entrance and exit; not shut or closed
Example in sentence:
  • an open door;
  • they left the door open
Meaning (15):
- open and observable; not secret or hidden
Example in sentence:
  • an overt lie;
  • open ballots;
  • overt hostility;
  • overt intelligence gathering
Meaning (16):
- used of mouth or eyes
Example in sentence:
  • his mouth slightly opened;
  • keep your eyes open
Meaning (17):
- affording free passage or access
Example in sentence:
  • open drains;
  • open ranks;
  • the road is open to traffic
Meaning (18):
- ready or willing to receive favorably
Example in sentence:
  • receptive to the proposals
19 . open [ s]
Meaning (19):
- affording free passage or view
Example in sentence:
  • a clear path to victory;
  • a clear view;
  • open waters;
  • the open countryside
Meaning (20):
- openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness
Example in sentence:
  • a heart-to-heart talk;
  • an open and trusting nature;
  • his candid eyes
Meaning (21):
- (of textures) full of small openings or gaps
Example in sentence:
  • a loose weave;
  • an open texture
Meaning (22):
- possibly accepting or permitting
Example in sentence:
  • a passage capable of misinterpretation;
  • an issue open to question;
  • open to interpretation;
  • the time is fixed by the director and players and therefore subject to much variation
Meaning (23):
- having no protecting cover or enclosure
Example in sentence:
  • an open boat;
  • an open fire;
  • open sports cars
Meaning (24):
- not defended or capable of being defended
Example in sentence:
  • an open city;
  • open to attack
Meaning (25):
- accessible to all
Example in sentence:
  • an open economy;
  • open season
Meaning (26):
- open to or in view of all
Example in sentence:
  • an open letter to the editor;
  • an open protest
Meaning (27):
- not brought to a conclusion; subject to further thought
Example in sentence:
  • an open question;
  • our lawsuit is still undetermined;
  • our position on this bill is still undecided
Meaning (28):
- not requiring union membership
Example in sentence:
  • an open shop employs nonunion workers
Meaning (29):
- with no protection or shield
Example in sentence:
  • an open wound;
  • open to the weather;
  • the exposed northeast frontier
Meaning (30):
- without undue constriction as from e.g. tenseness or inhibition
Example in sentence:
  • her natural and open response;
  • the clarity and resonance of an open tone
Meaning (31):
- not having been filled
Example in sentence:
  • the job is still open
Meaning (32):
- not sealed or having been unsealed
Example in sentence:
  • the letter was already open;
  • the opened package lay on the table
Meaning (33):
- ready for business
Example in sentence:
  • the stores are open

Nearby Words:

ope opeidoscope opelet open-air open-eyed open-handed open-headed open-hearted open-mouthed openbill

See 'open' also in:

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