2 VERB If you say that someone or something oozes a quality or characteristic, or oozes with it, you mean that they show it very strongly. □ [V n] The Elizabethan house oozes charm. □ [V + with ] Manchester United were by now oozing with confidence.
op /ɒ p/ (ops )
1 N‑COUNT An op is a medical operation. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …breast cancer ops.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Ops are military operations. □ Flt Lt Beamont had completed a 200 hour tour of ops in December 1941.
op. In music, op. is a written abbreviation for opus . □ …Beethoven's Op. 101 and 111 sonatas.
opac|ity /oʊpæ s I ti/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Opacity is the quality of being difficult to see through. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Opacity of the eye lens can be induced by deficiency of certain vitamins.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to something's opacity , you mean that it is difficult to understand. [FORMAL ] □ Its dramatic nuances were often generalised to the point of opacity.
opal /oʊ p ə l/ (opals ) N‑VAR An opal is a precious stone. Opals are colourless or white, but other colours are reflected in them.
opal|es|cent /oʊ pəle s ə nt/ ADJ Opalescent means colourless or white like an opal, or changing colour like an opal. [LITERARY ] □ Elaine turned her opalescent eyes on him. □ …a sky which was still faintly opalescent. ● opal|es|cence N‑UNCOUNT □ The sunset was making great splashes of fiery opalescence across the sky.
opaque /oʊpe I k/
1 ADJ If an object or substance is opaque , you cannot see through it. □ You can always use opaque glass if you need to block a street view.
2 ADJ If you say that something is opaque , you mean that it is difficult to understand. □ …the opaque language of the inspector's reports.
op. cit. /ɒ p s I t/ In reference books, op. cit. is used after an author's name to refer to a book of theirs which has already been mentioned. [FORMAL ] □ …quoted in Iyer, op. cit., p. 332.
OPEC /oʊ pek/ N‑PROPER OPEC is an organization of countries that produce oil. It tries to develop a common policy and system of prices. OPEC is an abbreviation for 'Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries'. □ Each member of OPEC would seek to maximize its own production.
o p-e d ADJ [ADJ n] In a newspaper, the op-ed page is a page containing articles in which people express their opinions about things. [AM , INFORMAL ]
open ◆◆◆ /oʊ pən/ (opens , opening , opened )
1 VERB If you open something such as a door, window, or lid, or if it opens , its position is changed so that it no longer covers a hole or gap. □ [V n] He opened the window and looked out. □ [V ] The church doors would open and the crowd would surge out. ● ADJ Open is also an adjective. □ …an open window. □ A door had been forced open.
2 VERB If you open something such as a bottle, box, parcel, or envelope, you move, remove, or cut part of it so you can take out what is inside. □ [V n] The Inspector opened the suitcase. □ [V n] The capsules are fiddly to open. ● ADJ Open is also an adjective. □ …an open bottle of milk. □ I tore the letter open. ● PHRASAL VERB Open up means the same as open . □ [V P n] He opened up a cage and lifted out a 6ft python. [Also V n P ]
3 VERB If you open something such as a book, an umbrella, or your hand, or if it opens , the different parts of it move away from each other so that the inside of it can be seen. □ [V n] He opened the heavy Bible. □ [V ] The officer's mouth opened, showing white, even teeth. ● ADJ Open is also an adjective. □ Without warning, Bardo smacked his fist into his open hand. □ His mouth was a little open, as if he'd started to scream. ● PHRASAL VERB Open out means the same as open . □ [V n P ] Keith took a map from the dashboard and opened it out on his knees. □ [V P ] …oval tables which open out to become circular. [Also V P n]
4 VERB If you open a computer file, you give the computer an instruction to display it on the screen. [COMPUTING ] □ [V n] Double click on the icon to open the file.
5 VERB When you open your eyes or your eyes open , you move your eyelids upwards, for example when you wake up, so that you can see. □ [V n] When I opened my eyes I saw a man with an axe standing at the end of my bed. □ [V ] His eyes were opening wide. ● ADJ Open is also an adjective. □ As soon as he saw that her eyes were open, he sat up.
6 VERB If you open your arms, you stretch them wide apart in front of you, usually in order to put them round someone. □ [V n] She opened her arms and gave me a big hug.
7 ADJ If you describe a person or their character as open , you mean they are honest and do not want or try to hide anything or to deceive anyone. □ [+ with ] He had always been open with her and she always felt she would know if he lied. □ She has an open, trusting nature. ● open|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …a relationship based on honesty and openness.
8 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe a situation, attitude, or way of behaving as open , you mean it is not kept hidden or secret. □ The action is an open violation of the Vienna Convention. □ Hearing the case in open court is only one part of the judicial process. ● open|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …the new climate of political openness.