Wiktionary

open

See also: opẹn and ôpen

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

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A sign indicating that a shop is open

Adjective from Middle English open, from Old English open (“open”), from Proto-West Germanic *opan, from Proto-Germanic *upanaz (“open”), from Proto-Indo-European *upo (“up from under, over”).

Cognates

Compare also Latin supinus (“on one's back, supine”), Albanian hap (“to open”). Related to up.

Verb from Middle English openen, from Old English openian (“to open”), from Proto-West Germanic *opanōn, from Proto-Germanic *upanōną (“to raise; lift; open”), from Proto-Germanic *upanaz (“open”, adjective). Cognate with Saterland Frisian eepenje (“to open”), West Frisian iepenje (“to open”), Dutch openen (“to open”), German öffnen (“to open”), Danish åbne (“to open”), Swedish öppna (“to open”), Norwegian Bokmål åpne (“to open”), Norwegian Nynorsk and Icelandic opna (“to open”). Related to English up.

Noun from Middle English open (“an aperture or opening”), from the verb. In the sports sense, however, a shortening of “open competition”.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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open (comparative more open or (phonetics) opener, superlative most open or (phonetics) openest)

  1. (usually not comparable) Physically unobstructed, uncovered, etc.
    1. Able to have something pass through or along it.
      Come in – the door's open.
      The ice has cleared and the channel is open again.
    2. Not covered, sealed, etc.; having an opening or aperture showing what is inside.
      The jewellery box was lying open.
      Don't just stand there with your mouth open!
      Along the street ran an open sewer.
    3. Not physically drawn together, folded or contracted.
      She greeted them with open arms.
      The book was open at page 23.
      an open hand; an open flower; an open (loosely woven) fabric
    4. Of a space, free of objects and obstructions.
      It was a large, open room.
      Most of the site was occupied by huts, but there was an open area in the centre.
      Soon we left the forest behind and we were out in open country.
    5. (medicine) Resulting from an incision, puncture or any other process by which the skin no longer protects an internal part of the body.
      an open fracture
    6. (engineering, gas and liquid flow, of valve or damper) In a position allowing fluid to flow.
    7. (of a sandwich, etc., usually not comparable) Composed of a single slice of bread with a topping.
      Synonyms: open-face, open-faced
      open sandwich
      • 2001, Jennie Walters, Caz’s Birthday Blues (Party Girls)‎[1], London: Hodder Children’s Books, →ISBN:
        Starry food is fun to make. You can buy bright yellow American mustard (which isn’t too strong!) in squeezy bottles and pipe stars on to hot dogs and open burgers or sandwiches.
      • 2012, Jo McAuley, “[Meat and Poultry] Turkey Burgers with Spicy Salsa”, in Hamlyn QuickCook: Low Fat, London: Hamlyn, →ISBN, page 152:
        When the burgers are ready, place them on the toasted rolls with the romaine lettuce leaves and top with the salsa. Serve as open burgers.
      • 2015, Michael Robotham, chapter 17, in Close Your Eyes, London: Sphere, →ISBN, page 133:
        Sunday morning in Wellow and we feast on open bagels with grilled ham, tomato and Swiss cheese, requested and highly praised.
    8. (now regional) Not of a quality to prevent communication, as by closing waterways, blocking roads, etc.; hence, not frosty or inclement; mild; used of the weather or the climate.
      an open winter
      • c. 1794, Jane Austen, Lady Susan:
        He desires me to tell you that the present open weather induces him to accept Mr Vernon's invitation to prolong his stay in Sussex that they may have some hunting together.
  2. Able to be used or interacted with in some way.
    1. (not comparable) Available for use or operation.
      Your bank account is now open.
      Phone lines open at 10 pm.
      This is the only option open to us.
    2. (not comparable) Actively conducting or prepared to conduct business.
      Banks are not open on bank holidays.
      Several new shops have opened in Market Street.
    3. (not comparable) Allowing entrance to visitors or the public.
      I hereby declare this fete open.
      The school has an open day on Saturday.
    4. (comparable) Receptive.
      I am open to new ideas.
      • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 19:38:
        Wherefore if Demetrius […] have a matter against any man, the law is open and there are deputies.
      • 2021 April 2, Ciara Nugent, “Can Public Transit Survive the Pandemic? London's New Transport Commissioner Wants You to Believe It Can”, in Time‎[2]:
        A U.K. survey found attitudes toward public transit had been set back by two decades, with only 43% of drivers open to using their car less, even if public transport improves.
    5. (comparable, with 'to') Susceptible or vulnerable (to the stated means).
      open to question; open to attack; open to criticism
    6. (computing, not comparable, of a file, document, etc.) In current use; connected to as a resource.
      I couldn't save my changes because another user had the same file open.
    7. (computing, of a program or application, especially one with a screen-based interface) Running.
      You're getting short of memory because you have too many apps open.
  3. Not hidden or restricted.
    1. Not concealed; overt.
      It is a blatant example of open criminality.
    2. Of a person, not concealing their feelings, opinions, etc.; candid, ingenuous.
      Nowadays people are more open about their sexuality.
      • 1731-1735, Alexander Pope, Moral Essays
        with aspect open, shall erect his head
      • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
        The Moor is of a free and open nature.
      • 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
        The French are always open, familiar, and talkative.
      • 2001, Xiaopei He, “Chinese Queer (Tongzhi) Women Organizing in the 1990s”, in Ping-Chun Hsiung, Maria Jaschok, Cecilia Milwertz, Red Chan, editors, Chinese Women Organizing: Cadres, Feminists, Muslims, Queers‎[3], Berg, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 41:
        Due to severe and pervasive discrimination, people dared not be open about their homosexuality, and because no one would be open, social prejudice and discrimination became even stronger.
    4. (not comparable) Public.
      He published an open letter to the governor on a full page of The New York Times.
    5. (law, of correspondence) Written or sent with the intention that it may made public or referred to at any trial, rather than by way of confidential private negotiation for a settlement.
      You will observe that this is an open letter and we reserve the right to mention it to the judge should the matter come to trial.
    7. (not comparable) With open access, of open science, or both.
      We hope that all aspects of the project will be open rather than paywalled.
    8. (computing, education) Made public, usable with a free licence and without proprietary components.
      • 2013 July 20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
        Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.
    9. (sports) Of a tournament or competition, allowing anyone to enter, especially or originally irrespective of professional or amateur status.
    10. (sports and games) Characterised by free-flowing play.
      Compared to their last match, which was a dour and defensive affair, this was a very open game.
  4. Not completed or finalised.
    1. Not settled; not decided or determined; not withdrawn from consideration.
      an open question
      to keep an offer or opportunity open
    2. (sometimes business) Not fulfilled or resolved; incomplete.
      I've got open orders for as many containers of red durum as you can get me.
    3. Not having one end joined to the other; not forming a closed loop.
      an open curve, an open circuit
    4. (electricity, of a switch or circuit breaker) In a position such that a circuit is not completed, preventing electricity from flowing.
    5. (graph theory, of a walk) Having different first and last vertices.
    6. (phonetics, of a syllable) Ending in a vowel; not having a coda.
  5. (mathematics, logic, of a formula) Having a free variable.
  6. (mathematics, topology, of a set) Which is part of a predefined collection of subsets of  , that defines a topological space on  .
  7. (music, stringed instruments) Of a note, played without pressing the string against the fingerboard.
  8. (music) Of a note, played without closing any finger-hole, key or valve.
  9. (phonetics, sometimes with comparative opener) Uttered with a relatively wide opening of the articulating organs; said of vowels.
    • 1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 421:
      "Supposing somebody sees you, with all those flowers too? Supposing somebody writes him a letter? Ooooh!" (a pure round open Tamil O.)
  10. (phonetics) Uttered, as a consonant, with the oral passage simply narrowed without closure.
  11. (computing, used before "code") Source code of a computer program that is not within the text of a macro being generated.
  12. (of a multi-word compound) Having component words separated by spaces, as opposed to being joined together or hyphenated; for example, time slot as opposed to timeslot or time-slot.
  13. (especially sports) Of a club, bat or other hitting implement, angled upwards and/or (for a right-hander) clockwise of straight.

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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Hyponyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb

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open (third-person singular simple present opens, present participle opening, simple past and past participle opened)

  1. To make or become physically unobstructed, uncovered, etc.
    1. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become accessible or clear for passage by moving from a shut position.
      Turn the doorknob to open the door.
      The door opened all by itself.
      • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
        I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.
      • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 20, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
        ‘No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’
    2. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become clear by removal of objects and obstructions, so as to allow passage, access, or visibility.
      The icebreaker opened the channel.
      The ice melted away and the channel opened.
      He opened a path through the undergrowth.
      After we left the forest, the country opened into a wide, flat plain.
      • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
        I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.
    3. (transitive, intransitive) To unseal or uncover, or become unsealed or uncovered.
      You can open your eyes now!
      Her eyes opened wide.
      • 1996, Stephen King, Desperation:
        He had kept on recording everything then, when he had been sure he was going to die, and he went on recording everything now, when he was suddenly consumed with hate for the boy in his arms and overwhelmed by a desire to put something—his motorcycle key would do nicely — into the interfering little prayboy’s throat and open him like a can of beer.
    4. (transitive, intransitive) To spread; to expand into a wider or looser position.
      to open a closed fist
      to open matted cotton by separating the fibres
      to open a map, book, scroll, padlock
      The flower opened in the sunlight.
      Her arms opened in welcome.
    5. (transitive, nursing) To make (a bed) ready for a patient by folding back the bedcovers.
      • 2013, Susan C. deWit, Patricia A. Williams, Fundamental Concepts and Skills for Nursing, page 318:
        Follow agency policy, or open the bed by folding the top linens back.
    6. (transitive, intransitive, poker) To reveal one's hand.
      Jeff opens his hand revealing a straight flush.
    7. (transitive, intransitive, engineering, gas and liquid flow, of valve or damper) To move to a position allowing fluid to flow.
    8. (especially sports, transitive, intransitive) To angle (a club, bat or other hitting implement) upwards and/or (for a right-hander) clockwise of straight.
  2. (transitive, intransitive) To cause or allow a gap to form or widen.
    Mudchester Rovers opened a sizeable lead on their rivals.
    A link opened under the strain, and the chain came apart.
    1. (transitive, intransitive, electricity, of a switch, fuse or circuit breaker) To move to a position preventing electricity from flowing.
  3. To make or become available for use or interaction.
    1. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become operative or available.
      He opened a secret bank account in Switzerland.
      We're opening the phone lines in ten minutes.
      Phone lines will open in ten minutes.
    2. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become accessible to customers, clients or visitors.
      I will open the shop an hour early tomorrow.
      The summer fete was opened by the mayor.
      The shop opens at 9:00.
      The fete opened an hour late because of bad weather.
      • 1934, White Unto Harvest in China: A Survey of the Lutheran United Mission, the China Mission of the N.L.C.A., 1890-1934‎[4], →OCLC, page 76:
        Suiping was opened as a main station in 1912 when Rev. H. M. Nesse arrived to take charge of the mission work.
    3. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become receptive or susceptible (to something).
      Reading this book will open you to new ideas.
      This policy will open the government to criticism.
      As he grew older, he opened to new ways of doing things.
    4. (computing, transitive, intransitive) To connect to a resource (a file, document, etc.) for viewing or editing.
      I can't open the file because someone else is editing it.
    5. (Manglish, Philippines, Quebec) To turn on; to switch on.
      Please open the lights, the (electric) fan, the TV.
  4. To start or begin.
    1. (transitive or intransitive) To start (an event or activity) as the first performer or actor.
      The show was opened by a terrible Elvis impersonator.
      Our band opened, and they came on second.
      Vermont will open elk hunting season next week.
    2. (intransitive, with 'for') To precede another as a performer at a concert or show.
      Our band opened for Nirvana.
    3. (intransitive) Of an event, activity etc., to start or get underway.
      The meeting opened with a statement from the chairman.
    4. (transitive) To bring up, broach.
      I don't want to open that subject.
    5. (transitive) To enter upon, begin.
      to open a discussion
      to open fire upon an enemy
      to open trade, or correspondence
      to open a case in court, or a meeting
    6. (computing, transitive, intransitive) To start running (a program or application, especially one with a screen-based interface).
      Click this icon to open Microsoft Word.
    7. (intransitive, cricket) To begin a side's innings as one of the first two batsmen.
    8. (intransitive, poker) To bet before any other player has in a particular betting round in a game of poker.
      After the first two players fold, Julie opens for $5.
  5. (transitive) To make an open relationship or marriage, i.e., with possible additional relationships.
    • 2009, Jenny Block, “You Can’t Run Out of Love”, in Open: Love, Sex, and Life in an Open Marriage, 2nd edition, Berkeley, Calif.: Seal Press, →ISBN, page 172:
      He assured me, unequivocally, that he was, and that he rather enjoyed the side benefits of my trysts: I was happier and living more honestly, as well as off his back about many of the issues that had been troublesome for me before we opened our relationship.
    • 2018, Rhea Orion, quoting Annika, “Case Excerpt: Annika”, in A Therapist’s Guide to Consensual Nonmonogamy: Polyamory, Swinging, and Open Marriage, New York, N.Y.; Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge, →ISBN, part II (Issues and Interventions), chapter 9 (Sex and Consensual Nonmonogamy):
      I wouldn’t do it unless there is a reason for it, I wouldn’t open a marriage just for fun. I think it’s too dangerous. I know I’m a monogamous type of person—I like just one person at a time; actually sleeping with more than one person in separate relationships is too confusing.
    • 2023, James K. Beggan, “How Do We Make Decisions?”, in The Decisions to Open a Relationship: To Three or Not to Three, Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books, →ISBN, page 90:
      Social situations involved in opening relationships are uncertain, rather than risky, environments. Although some people might say, “Absolutely not,” it may be difficult to predict the likelihood people will respond favorably to the prospect, in part because a wide range of unknown or unknowable factors may drive their willingness.
  6. (obsolete) To disclose; to reveal; to interpret; to explain.

Usage notes

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  • Due to the near-opposite meanings relating to fluid flow and electrical components, these usages are deprecated in safety-critical instructions, with the words to on or to off preferred, so instead of Open valve A; open switch B" use Turn valve A to ON; turn switch B to OFF.

Conjugation

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Conjugation of open
infinitive (to) open
present tense past tense
1st-person singular open opened
2nd-person singular open, openest† opened, openedst†
3rd-person singular opens, openeth† opened
plural open
subjunctive open opened
imperative open —
participles opening opened

† Archaic or obsolete.

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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  • (antonym(s) of “to make accessible”): bare, shut

Hyponyms

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  • (to make accessible): crack (open a bit)

Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun

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open (plural opens)

  1. (in the definite) Open or unobstructed space; an exposed location.
    I can't believe you left the lawnmower out in the open when you knew it was going to rain this afternoon!
    Wary of hunters, the fleeing deer kept well out of the open, dodging instead from thicket to thicket.
  2. (in the definite) Public knowledge or scrutiny; full view.
    We have got to bring this company's corrupt business practices into the open.
  3. (electronics) A defect in an electrical circuit preventing current from flowing.
    The electrician found the open in the circuit after a few minutes of testing.
  4. A sports event in which anybody can compete, especially or originally irrespective of amateur or professional status.
    the Australian Open
  5. The act of something being opened, such as an e-mail message.
    • 2016, Ian Dodson, The Art of Digital Marketing, page 144:
      The total number of opens from original, or unique, subscribers.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Anagrams

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Afrikaans

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Etymology

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From Dutch openen, from Middle Dutch ōpenen, from Old Dutch opanon, from Proto-Germanic *upanōną.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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open (present open, present participle openende, past participle geopen)

  1. (transitive) to open
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Catalan

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English open.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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open m (plural open or òpens)

  1. (sports) open

Dutch

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle Dutch ōpen, from Old Dutch opan, from Proto-West Germanic *opan, from Proto-Germanic *upanaz.

Adjective

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open (comparative opener, superlative openst)

  1. open, not closed
    Antonyms: gesloten, dicht, toe
  2. open for business
    Antonyms: gesloten, dicht
  3. open, receptive
    Antonym: gesloten
Declension
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Declension of open
uninflected open
inflected open
comparative opener
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial open opener het openst
het openste
indefinite m./f. sing. open opener openste
n. sing. open opener openste
plural open opener openste
definite open opener openste
partitive opens openers —
Derived terms
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Descendants
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  • Afrikaans: oop
  • Negerhollands: open, hopo
    • → Virgin Islands Creole: hopo
  • →? Aukan: obo

Etymology 2

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See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

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open

  1. inflection of openen:
    1. first-person singular present indicative
    2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
    3. imperative

Anagrams

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Finnish

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Noun

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open

  1. genitive singular of ope

French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English open.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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open m (plural opens)

  1. open; open tournament

Further reading

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Middle Dutch

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Old Dutch opan, from Proto-West Germanic *opan.

Adjective

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ōpen

  1. open, not closed
  2. open, accessible
  3. freely accessible, public

Inflection

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This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

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Descendants

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Further reading

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Old English open, from Proto-West Germanic *opan.

Adjective

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open (comparative more open, superlative most open)

  1. open
    • 14th c. Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales. General Prologue: 9-11.
      And smale foweles maken melodye,
      That slepen al the nyght with open eye-
      (So priketh hem Nature in hir corages);
      And many little birds make melody
      That sleep through all the night with open eye
      (So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)
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Descendants

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Norwegian Nynorsk

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Etymology

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From Old Norse opinn, from Proto-Germanic *upanaz. Compare Faroese opin, Icelandic opinn, Swedish öppen, Danish åben, Dutch open, Low German apen, open, German offen, West Frisian iepen, English open.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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open (neuter ope or opent, definite singular and plural opne, comparative opnare, indefinite superlative opnast, definite superlative opnaste)

  1. open
    Kvifor er døra open?
    Why is the door open?

Usage notes

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A common, but unofficial, feminine form is opa (“ei opa dør”, compare lita and inga). Up until 2012, opi was an optional official form, but was removed along with other forms like liti and ingi.

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References

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Old English

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Etymology

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From Proto-West Germanic *opan, from Proto-Germanic *upanaz.

Originally a past participle of Proto-Germanic *ūpaną (“to lift up, open”). Related to Old English upp (“up”). Cognate with Old Frisian open, Old Saxon opan, Old High German offan, and Old Norse opinn.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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open

  1. open
    • 11th century, unknown translator, the Old English Apollonius of Tyre
      Þā ġeseah hē ānne nacodne cnapan ġeond þā strǣte rinnan. Sē wæs mid ele ġesmiered and mid sċīetan beġierded, and cleopode mid miċelre stefne and cwæþ, "Ġehīeraþ ġē ċeasterwaran, ġehīeraþ ġē ælþēodiġe, friġe and þēowe, æðele and unæðele: sē bæþstede is open!"
      Then he saw a naked boy running through the street. His body was smeared with oil and he was wearing a sheet around his waist, when he called out in a loud voice, "Attention citizens, attention foreigners, free and slave, noble and ignoble: the bathhouse is open!"

Declension

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Declension of open — Strong
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative open open open
Accusative openne opene open
Genitive openes openre openes
Dative openum openre openum
Instrumental opene openre opene
Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative opene opena, opene open
Accusative opene opena, opene open
Genitive openra openra openra
Dative openum openum openum
Instrumental openum openum openum
Declension of open — Weak
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative opena opene opene
Accusative openan openan opene
Genitive openan openan openan
Dative openan openan openan
Instrumental openan openan openan
Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative openan openan openan
Accusative openan openan openan
Genitive openra, openena openra, openena openra, openena
Dative openum openum openum
Instrumental openum openum openum

Derived terms

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Descendants

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Plautdietsch

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Adjective

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open

  1. open

Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English open.

Noun

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open n (plural openuri)

  1. open (sports event)

Declension

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Declension of open
singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative-accusative open openul openuri openurile
genitive-dative open openului openuri openurilor
vocative openule openurilor

References

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  • open in Academia Română, Micul dicționar academic, ediția a II-a, Bucharest: Univers Enciclopedic, 2010. →ISBN

Slovincian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from German Low German open. Compare Kashubian ôpen and Greater Polish and Masovian Polish apem.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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open (not comparable, indeclinable, no derived adverb)

  1. open

Adverb

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open (not comparable)

  1. open

Further reading

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Spanish

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English open.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈopen/ [ˈo.pẽn]
  • Rhymes: -open
  • Syllabification: o‧pen

Noun

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open m (plural opens or open)

  1. (sports) open
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