open
/ˈoʊ.pən/ verb A1- 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.
- 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.
- To unseal or uncover, or become unsealed or uncovered. · You can open your eyes now!· Her eyes opened wide.
- To spread; to expand into a wider or looser position. · to open a closed fist· to open matted cotton by separating the fibres
- To make (a bed) ready for a patient by folding back the bedcovers.
- To reveal one's hand. · Jeff opens his hand revealing a straight flush.
- To move to a position allowing fluid to flow.
- To angle (a club, bat or other hitting implement) upwards and/or (for a right-hander) clockwise of straight.
Plural open · He/she/it opens · Past opened · Past participle opened · -ing form opening
Verb forms
- Base form
- open
- He/she/it
- opens
- Past
- opened
- Past participle
- opened
- -ing form
- opening
Phrasal verbs and expressions
From the library
Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole.
“Madame,” replied Villefort, with a mournful smile, “I have already had the honor to observe that my father has—at least, I hope so—abjured his past errors, and that he is, at the present moment, a firm and zealous friend to religion and order—a better royalist, possibly, than his son; for he has to atone for past dereliction, while I have no other impulse than warm, decided preference and conviction.” Having made this well-turned speech, Villefort looked carefully around to mark the effect of his oratory, much as he would have done had he been addressing the bench in open court.
At the knock, the door was immediately opened, and the young man who was seated beside the countess, in obedience to the Italian custom, instantly rose and surrendered his place to the strangers, who, in turn, would be expected to retire upon the arrival of other visitors.
There had been some visitors, and the door was open; so there was nothing to prevent him.
Other matches
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