open

I. adjective (opener; openest) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German offan open, Old English ūp up Date: before 12th century 1. having no enclosing or confining barrier ; accessible on all or nearly all sides <

cattle grazing on an open range

> 2. a. (1) being in a position or adjustment to permit passage ; not shut or locked <

an open door

> (2) having a barrier (as a door) so adjusted as to allow passage <

the house was open

> b. having the lips parted <

stood there with his mouth wide open

> c. not buttoned or zipped <

an open shirt

> 3. a. completely free from concealment ; exposed to general view or knowledge <

their hostilities eventually erupted with open war

> b. exposed or vulnerable to attack or question ; subject <

open to doubt

> c. being an operation or surgical procedure in which an incision is made such that the tissues are fully exposed 4. a. not covered with a top, roof, or lid <

an open car

> <

her eyes were open

> b. having no protective covering <

open wiring

> <

an open wound

> 5. not restricted to a particular group or category of participants <

open to the public

> <

open housing

>: as a. enterable by both amateur and professional contestants <

an open tournament

> b. enterable by a registered voter regardless of political affiliation <

an open primary

> 6. fit to be traveled over ; presenting no obstacle to passage or view <

the open road

> <

open country

> 7. having the parts or surfaces laid out in an expanded position ; spread out ; unfolded <

an open book

> 8. a. (1) low 13 (2) formed with the tongue in a lower position <

Italian has an open and a close e

> b. (1) having clarity and resonance unimpaired by undue tension or constriction of the throat <

an open vocal tone

> (2) of a tone produced by an open string or on a wind instrument by the lip without the use of slides, valves, or keys 9. a. available to follow or make use of <

the only course open to us

> b. not taken up with duties or engagements <

keep an hour open on Friday

> c. not finally decided ; subject to further consideration <

the salary is open

> <

an open question

> d. available for a qualified applicant ; vacant <

the job is still open

> e. remaining available for use or filling until canceled <

an open order for more items

> f. available for future purchase <

these items are in open stock

> g. available for breeding ; not now pregnant <

an open heifer

> h. not proprietary ; available to third party developers <

open source code

> 10. a. characterized by ready accessibility and usually generous attitude: as (1) generous in giving (2) willing to hear and consider or to accept and deal with ; responsive (3) free from reserve or pretense ; frank b. accessible to the influx of new factors (as foreign goods) <

an open market

> 11. a. having openings, interruptions, or spaces <

open mesh

>: as (1) being porous and friable <

open soil

> (2) sparsely distributed ; scattered <

open population

> (3) of a compound having components separated by a space in writing or printing (as opaque projector) b. not made up of a continuous closed circuit of channels <

the insect circulatory system is open

> 12. a. of an organ pipe not stopped at the top b. of a string on a musical instrument not stopped by the finger 13. being in operation <

an open microphone

>; especially ready for business, patronage, or use <

the store is open from 9 to 5

> <

the new highway will be open next week

> 14. a. (1) characterized by lack of effective regulation of various commercial enterprises <

an open town

> (2) not repressed by legal controls <

open gambling

> b. free from checking or hampering restraints <

an open economy

> c. relatively unguarded by opponents <

passed to an open teammate

> 15. having been opened by a first ante, bet, or bid <

the bidding is open

> 16. of punctuation characterized by sparing use especially of the comma 17. a. containing none of its endpoints <

an open interval

> b. being a set or composed of sets each point of which has a neighborhood all of whose points are contained in the set <

the interior of a sphere is an open set

> 18. a. being an incomplete electrical circuit b. not allowing the flow of electricity <

an open switch

> 19. of a universe having insufficient mass to halt expansion gravitationally Synonyms: see frank, liable • open adverb • openly adverb • openness noun II. verb (opened; opening) Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to move (as a door) from a closed position b. to make available for entry or passage by turning back (as a barrier) or removing (as a cover or an obstruction) 2. a. to make available for or active in a regular function <

open a new store

> b. to make accessible for a particular purpose <

opened new land for settlement

> <

open the way for changes

> c. to initiate access to (a computer file) prior to use 3. a. to disclose or expose to view ; reveal b. to make more discerning or responsive ; enlighten <

must open our minds to the problems

> c. to bring into view or come in sight of by changing position 4. a. to make an opening in <

opened the boil

> b. to loosen and make less compact <

open the soil

> 5. to spread out ; unfold <

opened the book

> 6. a. to enter upon ; begin <

opened the meeting

> b. to commence action in a card game by making (a first bid), putting a first bet in (the pot), or playing (a card or suit) as first lead 7. to restore or recall (as an order) from a finally determined state to a state in which the parties are free to prosecute or oppose intransitive verb 1. to become open <

the office opened early

> 2. a. to spread out ; expand <

the wound opened under the strain

> b. to become disclosed <

a beautiful vista opened before us

> 3. to become enlightened or responsive 4. to give access <

the rooms open onto a hall

> 5. speak out 2 <

finally he opened freely on the subject

> 6. a. to begin a course or activity <

the play opens on Tuesday

> b. to make a bet, bid, or lead in commencing a round or hand of a card game 7. to provide the opening performance of a show before the main event • openability noun • openable adjective III. noun Date: 13th century 1. opening 2. open and unobstructed space: as a. open air b. open water 3. an open contest, competition, or tournament 4. a public or unconcealed state or position