28 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If something such as an offer or job is open , it is available for someone to accept or apply for. □ The offer will remain open until further notice.
29 → see also opening 6
30 PHRASE If you do something in the open , you do it out of doors rather than in a house or other building. □ Many are sleeping in the open because they have no shelter.
31 PHRASE If an attitude or situation is in the open or out in the open , people know about it and it is no longer kept secret. □ The medical service had advised us to keep it a secret, but we wanted it in the open.
32 PHRASE If something is wide open , it is open to its full extent. □ The child had left the inner door wide open.
33 PHRASE If you say that a competition, race, or election is wide open , you mean that anyone could win it, because there is no competitor who seems to be much better than the others. □ The competition has been thrown wide open by the absence of the world champion.
34 with open arms → see arm ➊
35 to open the door → see door
36 to keep your eyes open → see eye
37 with your eyes open → see eye
38 to open your eyes → see eye
39 to open fire → see fire ➋
40 to open your heart → see heart
41 the heavens open → see heaven
42 an open mind → see mind ➊
43 to open your mind → see mind ➊
44 to keep your options open → see option
▸ open out → see open 3 , open 14
▸ open up
1 → see open 2 , open 13
2 PHRASAL VERB If a place, economy, or area of interest opens up , or if someone opens it up , more people can go there or become involved in it. □ [V P ] Demand is outstripping supply since the market opened up. □ [V P + to ] He wanted to see how the country was opening up to the world. □ [V P n] These programmes will open up markets for farmers. [Also V n P , V n P to n]
3 PHRASAL VERB If something opens up opportunities or possibilities, or if they open up , they are created. □ [V P n] It was also felt that the collapse of the system opened up new possibilities. □ [V P ] New opportunities are opening up for investors. [Also V n P ]
4 PHRASAL VERB If you open up a lead in a race or competition, you get yourself into a position where you are leading, usually by quite a long way. □ [V P n] The Chinese team had opened up a lead of more than two minutes.
5 PHRASAL VERB When you open up a building, you unlock and open the door so that people can get in. □ [V P n] Three armed men were waiting when the postmaster arrived to open up the shop.
6 PHRASAL VERB If someone opens up , they start to say exactly what they think or feel. □ [V P + to ] Lorna found that people were willing to open up to her. USAGE open
Opened is the past tense and past participle of the verb open . You only use it when you are describing the action of opening something. For example, 'A tall man opened the front door'. Don’t describe the position of a door by saying that it ‘is opened’. Say that it ‘is open’. □ The door was open and the sunshine streamed in.
o pen-ai r also open air
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] An open-air place or event is outside rather than in a building. □ …the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park. □ …an open air concert in brilliant sunshine.
2 N‑SING If you are in the open air , you are outside rather than in a building. □ We sleep out under the stars, and eat our meals in the open air.
o pen-and-shu t ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a dispute or a legal case as open-and-shut , you mean that is easily decided or solved because the facts are very clear. □ It's an open and shut case. The hospital is at fault.
open|cast /oʊ pənkɑːst, -kæst/ also open-cast ADJ [ADJ n] At an opencast mine, the coal, metal, or minerals are near the surface and underground passages are not needed. [BRIT ] in AM, use strip mine , open pit
o pen day (open days ) N‑COUNT An open day is a day on which members of the public are encouraged to visit a particular school, university, or other institution to see what it is like. [BRIT ] in AM, use open house
o pen-doo r also open door ADJ [ADJ n] If a country or organization has an open-door policy towards people or goods, it allows them to come there freely, without any restrictions. □ …reformers who have advocated an open door economic policy. ● N‑SING Open door is also a noun. □ …an open door to further foreign investment.
o pen-e nded ADJ [usu ADJ n] When people begin an open-ended discussion or activity, they do not have a particular result, decision, or timespan in mind. □ Girls do better on open-ended tasks that require them to think for themselves. □ …open-ended questions about what passengers expect of an airline.
open|er /oʊ pənə r / (openers )