open

English Online Dictionary. What means open‎? What does open mean?

English

Etymology

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”).

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

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ō'pən, IPA^(key): /ˈəʊp(ə)n/
• (General American) enPR: ō'pən, IPA^(key): /ˈoʊp(ə)n/
• Rhymes: -əʊpən

Adjective

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.

   2. Not covered, sealed, etc.; having an opening or aperture showing what is inside.

   3. Not physically drawn together, folded or contracted.
   4. Of a space, free of objects and obstructions.
   5. (medicine) Resulting from an incision, puncture or any other process by which the skin no longer protects an internal part of the body.

   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
   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.
2. Able to be used or interacted with in some way.
   1. (not comparable) Available for use or operation.

   2. (not comparable) Actively conducting or prepared to conduct business.

   3. (not comparable) Allowing entrance to visitors or the public.

   4. (comparable) Receptive.
   5. (comparable, with 'to') Susceptible or vulnerable (to the stated means).
   6. (computing, not comparable, of a file, document, etc.) In current use; connected to as a resource.

   7. (computing, of a program or application, especially one with a screen-based interface) Running.

3. Not hidden or restricted.
   1. Not concealed; overt.
   2. Of a person, not concealing their feelings, opinions, etc.; candid, ingenuous.
      • 1731-1735, Alexander Pope, Moral Essays

        with aspect open, shall erect his head
   4. (not comparable) Public.

   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.

   7. (not comparable) With open access, of open science, or both.

   8. (computing, education) Made public, usable with a free licence and without proprietary components.
   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.

4. Not completed or finalised.
   1. Not settled; not decided or determined; not withdrawn from consideration.

   2. (sometimes business) Not fulfilled or resolved; incomplete.

   3. Not having one end joined to the other; not forming a closed loop.

   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 ${displaystyle X}$, that defines a topological space on ${displaystyle X}$.
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.
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

• (not closed): accessible, unimpeded
• (ending in a vowel): free
• (with a free license and no proprietary components): free

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “accessible”): closed, shut
• (antonym(s) of “law”): without prejudice
• (antonym(s) of “ending in a vowel”): closed, checked
• (antonym(s) of “with a free license and no proprietary components”): closed-source, proprietary

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

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.
   2. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become clear by removal of objects and obstructions, so as to allow passage, access, or visibility.
   3. (transitive, intransitive) To unseal or uncover, or become unsealed or uncovered.
   4. (transitive, intransitive) To spread; to expand into a wider or looser position.

   5. (transitive, nursing) To make (a bed) ready for a patient by folding back the bedcovers.
   6. (transitive, intransitive, poker) To reveal one's hand.

   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.
   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.

   2. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become accessible to customers, clients or visitors.
   3. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become receptive or susceptible (to something).

   4. (computing, transitive, intransitive) To connect to a resource (a file, document, etc.) for viewing or editing.

   5. (Manglish, Philippines, Quebec) To turn on; to switch on.

4. To start or begin.
   1. (transitive or intransitive) To start (an event or activity) as the first performer or actor.

   2. (intransitive, with 'for') To precede another as a performer at a concert or show.

   3. (intransitive) Of an event, activity etc., to start or get underway.

   4. (transitive) To bring up, broach.

   5. (transitive) To enter upon, begin.

   6. (computing, transitive, intransitive) To start running (a program or application, especially one with a screen-based interface).

   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.

5. (obsolete) To disclose; to reveal; to interpret; to explain.

Usage notes

• 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

Synonyms

• (to make accessible): unseal
• (to bring up): raise
• (to enter upon): start; see also Thesaurus:begin
• (to disclose): bare; see also Thesaurus:reveal

Antonyms

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

Hyponyms

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

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

open (plural opens)

1. (in the definite) Open or unobstructed space; an exposed location.

2. (in the definite) Public knowledge or scrutiny; full view.

3. (electronics) A defect in an electrical circuit preventing current from flowing.

4. A sports event in which anybody can compete, especially or originally irrespective of amateur or professional status.

5. The act of something being opened, such as an e-mail message.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• Nope, nope, peno-, peon, pone

Afrikaans

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʊə̯.pən/

Verb

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

1. (transitive) to open

Related terms

• oop

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from English open.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈɔ.pən]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈɔ.pen]

Noun

open m (plural open or òpens)

1. (sports) open

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈoː.pə(n)/
• Hyphenation: open
• Rhymes: -oːpən

Etymology 1

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

Adjective

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

Derived terms

Descendants

• Afrikaans: oop
• Negerhollands: open, hopo
  • → Virgin Islands Creole: hopo
• →? Aukan: obo

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

open

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

Anagrams

• nope

Finnish

Noun

open

1. genitive singular of ope

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English open.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ.pɛn/, /ɔ.pœn/

Noun

open m (plural opens)

1. open; open tournament

Further reading

• “open”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Middle Dutch

Etymology

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

Adjective

ōpen

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

Inflection

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

• ōpenen

Descendants

• Dutch: open
  • Afrikaans: oop
  • Negerhollands: open, hopo
    • → Virgin Islands Creole: hopo
  • →? Aukan: obo
• Limburgish: aop

Further reading

• “open”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “open (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page II

Middle English

Alternative forms

• opyn, ope

Etymology

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

Adjective

open (comparative more open, superlative most open)

1. open
   • 14th c. Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales. General Prologue: 9-11.

Related terms

• open-ers
• openly

Descendants

• English: open (obsolete ope)
• Scots: appen, apen

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

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

• IPA^(key): /²oːpən/

Adjective

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

1. open

Usage notes

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.

Related terms

• op
• opna
• opning

References

• “open” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Etymology

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈo.pen/

Adjective

open

1. open
   • 11th century, unknown translator, the Old English Apollonius of Tyre

Declension

Derived terms

• openlīċ

Descendants

• Middle English: open, opyn, ope
  • Scots: appen, apen
  • English: open

Plautdietsch

Adjective

open

1. open

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from English open.

Noun

open n (plural openuri)

1. open (sports event)

Declension

References

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

Slovincian

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɔ.pɛn/
• Rhymes: -ɔpɛn
• Syllabification: o‧pen

Adjective

open (not comparable, indeclinable, no derived adverb)

1. open

Adverb

open (not comparable)

1. open

Further reading

• Lorentz, Friedrich (1908) “ǻu̯pĕn”, in Slovinzisches Wörterbuch‎^[5] (in German), volume 1, Saint Petersburg: ОРЯС ИАН, page 8

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English open.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

open m (plural opens or open)

1. (sports) open