1 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] An opener is a tool which is used to open containers such as tins or bottles. □ …a tin opener.
2 → see also eye-opener
o pen hou se
1 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone keeps open house , you mean that they welcome friends or visitors to their house whenever they arrive and allow them to stay for as long as they want to. □ Father Illtyd kept open house and the boys would congregate in his study during their recreation time, playing cards or games.
2 N‑VAR [oft N n] An open house is a day on which members of the public are encouraged to visit a particular institution or place to see what it is like. [AM ] □ [+ at ] A week later, Sara and I attended open house at Ted's school. in BRIT, use open day
open|ing ◆◇◇ /oʊ pən I ŋ/ (openings )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] The opening event, item, day, or week in a series is the first one. □ They returned to take part in the season's opening game. □ …the opening day of the fifth General Synod.
2 N‑COUNT The opening of something such as a book, play, or concert is the first part of it. □ [+ of ] The opening of the scene depicts Akhnaten and his family in a moment of intimacy.
3 N‑COUNT An opening is a hole or empty space through which things or people can pass. □ [+ in ] He squeezed through a narrow opening in the fence.
4 N‑COUNT An opening in a forest is a small area where there are no trees or bushes. [mainly AM ] □ [+ by ] I glanced down at the beach as we passed an opening in the trees. in BRIT, usually use clearing 5 N‑COUNT An opening is a good opportunity to do something, for example to show people how good you are. □ Her capabilities were always there; all she needed was an opening to show them.
6 N‑COUNT An opening is a job that is available. □ We don't have any openings now, but we'll call you if something comes up.
7 → see also open
o pen|ing hours N‑PLURAL Opening hours are the times during which a shop, bank, library, or bar is open for business. □ Opening hours are 9.30am–5.45pm, Mon–Fri.
o pen|ing ni ght (opening nights ) N‑COUNT The opening night of a play or an opera is the first night on which a particular production is performed.
o pen|ing time (opening times )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft the N ] You can refer to the time that a shop, bank, library, or bar opens for business as its opening time . □ Shoppers began arriving long before the 10am opening time.
2 N‑PLURAL The opening times of a place such as a shop, a restaurant, or a museum is the period during which it is open. □ Ask the local tourist office about opening times.
o pen le t|ter (open letters ) N‑COUNT An open letter is a letter that is published in a newspaper or magazine. It is addressed to a particular person but is intended for the general reader, usually in order to protest or give an opinion about something. □ The Lithuanian parliament also sent an open letter to the United Nations.
open|ly /oʊ pənli/ ADV [ADV with v, oft ADV adj] If you do something openly , you do it without hiding any facts or hiding your feelings. □ The Bundesbank has openly criticised the German Government.
o pen ma r|ket N‑SING Goods that are bought and sold on the open market are advertised and sold to anyone who wants to buy them. [BUSINESS ] □ The Central Bank is authorized to sell government bonds on the open market.
o pen-mi nded ADJ If you describe someone as open-minded , you approve of them because they are willing to listen to and consider other people's ideas and suggestions. [APPROVAL ] □ [+ about ] He was very open-minded about other people's work. ● open-mindedness N‑UNCOUNT □ He was praised for his enthusiasm and his open-mindedness.
o pen-mou thed ADJ [usu ADJ after v, ADJ n] If someone is looking open-mouthed , they are staring at something with their mouth wide open because it has shocked, frightened, or excited them. □ They watched almost open-mouthed as the two men came towards them. □ The finale had 50,000 adults standing in open-mouthed wonderment.
o pen-ne cked also open-neck ADJ [ADJ n] If you are wearing an open-necked shirt or blouse, you are wearing a shirt or blouse which has no buttons at the top or on which the top button is not done up.
o pen pi t (open pits ) N‑COUNT An open pit is a mine where the coal, metal, or minerals are near the surface and underground passages are not needed. [AM ] in BRIT, use opencast mine
o pen-pla n ADJ An open-plan building, office, or room has no internal walls dividing it into smaller areas. □ The firm's top managers share the same open-plan office.
o pen pri s|on (open prisons ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] An open prison is a prison where there are fewer restrictions on prisoners than in a normal prison. [BRIT ] in AM, use minimum security prison
o pen que s|tion (open questions ) N‑COUNT If something is an open question , people have different opinions about it and nobody can say which opinion is correct. □ He thought it was an open question whether sanctions would do any good.
o pen sea |son N‑UNCOUNT If you say that it is open season on someone or something, you mean that a lot of people are currently criticizing or attacking them. □ [+ on ] It was open season on journalists and academics.
o pen se |cret (open secrets ) N‑COUNT If you refer to something as an open secret , you mean that it is supposed to be a secret, but many people know about it. □ [+ that] It's an open secret that the security service bugged phones.
o pen sou rce also open-source ADJ Open source material is computer programming code or software that anyone is allowed to use or modify without asking permission from the company that developed it. [COMPUTING ] □ Supporters say open source software is more secure.