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  10  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Letter  \Let"ter\,  n.  [OE.  lettre,  F.  lettre,  OF  letre,  fr  L. 
  littera,  litera,  a  letter;  pl.,  an  epistle,  a  writing, 
  literature,  fr  linere,  litum,  to  besmear,  to  spread  or  rub 
  over  because  one  of  the  earliest  modes  of  writing  was  by 
  graving  the  characters  upon  tablets  smeared  over  or  covered 
  with  wax.  --Pliny,  xiii.  11.  See  {Liniment},  and  cf 
  {Literal}.] 
  1.  A  mark  or  character  used  as  the  representative  of  a  sound, 
  or  of  an  articulation  of  the  human  organs  of  speech;  a 
  first  element  of  written  language. 
 
  And  a  superscription  also  was  written  over  him  in 
  letters  of  Greek,  and  Latin,  and  Hebrew.  --Luke 
  xxiii.  38. 
 
  2.  A  written  or  printed  communication;  a  message  expressed  in 
  intelligible  characters  on  something  adapted  to 
  conveyance,  as  paper,  parchment,  etc.;  an  epistle. 
 
  The  style  of  letters  ought  to  be  free  easy,  and 
  natural.  --Walsh. 
 
  3.  A  writing;  an  inscription.  [Obs.] 
 
  None  could  expound  what  this  letter  meant 
  --Chaucer. 
 
  4.  Verbal  expression;  literal  statement  or  meaning;  exact 
  signification  or  requirement. 
 
  We  must  observe  the  letter  of  the  law,  without  doing 
  violence  to  the  reason  of  the  law  and  the  intention 
  of  the  lawgiver.  --Jer.  Taylor. 
 
  I  broke  the  letter  of  it  to  keep  the  sense 
  --Tennyson. 
 
  5.  (Print.)  A  single  type  type  collectively;  a  style  of 
  type 
 
  Under  these  buildings  .  .  .  was  the  king's  printing 
  house,  and  that  famous  letter  so  much  esteemed. 
  --Evelyn. 
 
  6.  pl  Learning;  erudition;  as  a  man  of  letters. 
 
  7.  pl  A  letter;  an  epistle.  [Obs.]  --Chaucer. 
 
  {Dead  letter},  {Drop  letter},  etc  See  under  {Dead},  {Drop}, 
  etc 
 
  {Letter  book},  a  book  in  which  copies  of  letters  are  kept. 
 
  {Letter  box},  a  box  for  the  reception  of  letters  to  be  mailed 
  or  delivered. 
 
  {Letter  carrier},  a  person  who  carries  letters;  a  postman; 
  specif.,  an  officer  of  the  post  office  who  carries  letters 
  to  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  addressed,  and  collects 
  letters  to  be  mailed. 
 
  {Letter  cutter},  one  who  engraves  letters  or  letter  punches. 
 
 
  {Letter  lock},  a  lock  that  can  not  be  opened  when  fastened, 
  unless  certain  movable  lettered  rings  or  disks  forming  a 
  part  of  it  are  in  such  a  position  (indicated  by  a 
  particular  combination  of  the  letters)  as  to  permit  the 
  bolt  to  be  withdrawn. 
 
  A  strange  lock  that  opens  with  AMEN.  --Beau.  &  Fl 
 
  {Letter  paper},  paper  for  writing  letters  on  especially,  a 
  size  of  paper  intermediate  between  note  paper  and 
  foolscap.  See  {Paper}. 
 
  {Letter  punch},  a  steel  punch  with  a  letter  engraved  on  the 
  end  used  in  making  the  matrices  for  type 
 
  {Letters  of  administration}  (Law),  the  instrument  by  which  an 
  administrator  or  administratrix  is  authorized  to 
  administer  the  goods  and  estate  of  a  deceased  person. 
 
  {Letter  of  attorney},  {Letter  of  credit},  etc  See  under 
  {Attorney},  {Credit},  etc 
 
  {Letter  of  license},  a  paper  by  which  creditors  extend  a 
  debtor's  time  for  paying  his  debts. 
 
  {Letters  close  or  clause}  (Eng.  Law.),  letters  or  writs 
  directed  to  particular  persons  for  particular  purposes, 
  and  hence  closed  or  sealed  on  the  outside;  -- 
  distinguished  from  letters  patent.  --Burrill. 
 
  {Letters  of  orders}  (Eccl.),  a  document  duly  signed  and 
  sealed,  by  which  a  bishop  makes  it  known  that  he  has 
  regularly  ordained  a  certain  person  as  priest,  deacon, 
  etc 
 
  {Letters  patent},  {overt},  or  {open}  (Eng.  Law),  a  writing 
  executed  and  sealed,  by  which  power  and  authority  are 
  granted  to  a  person  to  do  some  act  or  enjoy  some  right 
  as  letters  patent  under  the  seal  of  England. 
 
  {Letter-sheet  envelope},  a  stamped  sheet  of  letter  paper 
  issued  by  the  government,  prepared  to  be  folded  and  sealed 
  for  transmission  by  mail  without  an  envelope. 
 
  {Letters  testamentary}  (Law),  an  instrument  granted  by  the 
  proper  officer  to  an  executor  after  probate  of  a  will 
  authorizing  him  to  act  as  executor. 
 
  {Letter  writer}. 
  a  One  who  writes  letters. 
  b  A  machine  for  copying  letters. 
  c  A  book  giving  directions  and  forms  for  the  writing  of 
  letters. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Open  \O"pen\,  a.  [AS.  open  akin  to  D.  open  OS  opan,  G.  offan, 
  Icel.  opinn,  Sw  ["o]ppen,  Dan.  aaben,  and  perh.  to  E.  up 
  Cf  {Up},  and  {Ope}.] 
  1.  Free  of  access  not  shut  up  not  closed;  affording 
  unobstructed  ingress  or  egress;  not  impeding  or  preventing 
  passage;  not  locked  up  or  covered  over  --  applied  to 
  passageways;  as  an  open  door,  window,  road,  etc.;  also 
  to  inclosed  structures  or  objects;  as  open  houses,  boxes, 
  baskets,  bottles,  etc.;  also  to  means  of  communication  or 
  approach  by  water  or  land;  as  an  open  harbor  or 
  roadstead. 
 
  Through  the  gate,  Wide  open  and  unquarded,  Satan 
  passed.  --Milton 
 
  Note:  Also  figuratively,  used  of  the  ways  of  communication 
  of  the  mind,  as  by  the  senses  ready  to  hear,  see 
  etc.;  as  to  keep  one's  eyes  and  ears  open 
 
  His  ears  are  open  unto  their  cry.  --Ps.  xxxiv 
  15. 
 
  2.  Free  to  be  used  enjoyed,  visited,  or  the  like  not 
  private;  public;  unrestricted  in  use  as  an  open  library, 
  museum,  court,  or  other  assembly;  liable  to  the  approach, 
  trespass,  or  attack  of  any  one  unprotected;  exposed. 
 
  If  Demetrius  .  .  .  have  a  matter  against  any  man, 
  the  law  is  open  and  there  are  deputies.  --Acts  xix. 
  33. 
 
  The  service  that  I  truly  did  his  life,  Hath  left  me 
  open  to  all  injuries.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  Free  or  cleared  of  obstruction  to  progress  or  to  view; 
  accessible;  as  an  open  tract;  the  open  sea. 
 
  4.  Not  drawn  together,  closed,  or  contracted;  extended; 
  expanded;  as  an  open  hand;  open  arms;  an  open  flower;  an 
  open  prospect. 
 
  Each  with  open  arms,  embraced  her  chosen  knight. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  5.  Hence: 
  a  Without  reserve  or  false  pretense;  sincere; 
  characterized  by  sincerity;  unfeigned;  frank;  also 
  generous;  liberal;  bounteous;  --  applied  to  personal 
  appearance,  or  character,  and  to  the  expression  of 
  thought  and  feeling,  etc 
 
  With  aspect  open  shall  erect  his  head.  --Pope. 
 
  The  Moor  is  of  a  free  and  open  nature.  --Shak. 
 
  The  French  are  always  open  familiar,  and 
  talkative.  --Addison. 
  b  Not  concealed  or  secret;  not  hidden  or  disguised; 
  exposed  to  view  or  to  knowledge;  revealed;  apparent; 
  as  open  schemes  or  plans;  open  shame  or  guilt. 
 
  His  thefts  are  too  open  --Shak. 
 
  That  I  may  find  him  and  with  secret  gaze  Or 
  open  admiration  him  behold.  --Milton. 
 
  6.  Not  of  a  quality  to  prevent  communication,  as  by  closing 
  water  ways,  blocking  roads,  etc.;  hence  not  frosty  or 
  inclement;  mild;  --  used  of  the  weather  or  the  climate; 
  as  an  open  season;  an  open  winter.  --Bacon. 
 
  7.  Not  settled  or  adjusted;  not  decided  or  determined;  not 
  closed  or  withdrawn  from  consideration;  as  an  open 
  account;  an  open  question;  to  keep  an  offer  or  opportunity 
  open 
 
  8.  Free  disengaged;  unappropriated;  as  to  keep  a  day  open 
  for  any  purpose;  to  be  open  for  an  engagement. 
 
  9.  (Phon.) 
  a  Uttered  with  a  relatively  wide  opening  of  the 
  articulating  organs;  --  said  of  vowels;  as  the  ["a]n 
  f["a]r  is  open  as  compared  with  the  [=a]  in  s[=a]y. 
  b  Uttered,  as  a  consonant,  with  the  oral  passage  simply 
  narrowed  without  closure,  as  in  uttering  s. 
 
  10.  (Mus.) 
  a  Not  closed  or  stopped  with  the  finger;  --  said  of  the 
  string  of  an  instrument,  as  of  a  violin,  when  it  is 
  allowed  to  vibrate  throughout  its  whole  length. 
  b  Produced  by  an  open  string;  as  an  open  tone. 
 
  {The  open  air},  the  air  out  of  doors. 
 
  {Open  chain}.  (Chem.)  See  {Closed  chain},  under  {Chain}. 
 
  {Open  circuit}  (Elec.),  a  conducting  circuit  which  is 
  incomplete,  or  interrupted  at  some  point;  --  opposed  to  an 
  uninterrupted,  or  {closed  circuit}. 
 
  {Open  communion},  communion  in  the  Lord's  supper  not 
  restricted  to  persons  who  have  been  baptized  by  immersion. 
  Cf  {Close  communion},  under  {Close},  a. 
 
  {Open  diapason}  (Mus.),  a  certain  stop  in  an  organ,  in  which 
  the  pipes  or  tubes  are  formed  like  the  mouthpiece  of  a 
  flageolet  at  the  end  where  the  wind  enters,  and  are  open 
  at  the  other  end 
 
  {Open  flank}  (Fort.),  the  part  of  the  flank  covered  by  the 
  orillon. 
 
  {Open-front  furnace}  (Metal.),  a  blast  furnace  having  a 
  forehearth. 
 
  {Open  harmony}  (Mus.),  harmony  the  tones  of  which  are  widely 
  dispersed,  or  separated  by  wide  intervals. 
 
  {Open  hawse}  (Naut.),  a  hawse  in  which  the  cables  are 
  parallel  or  slightly  divergent.  Cf  {Foul  hawse},  under 
  {Hawse}. 
 
  {Open  hearth}  (Metal.),  the  shallow  hearth  of  a  reverberatory 
  furnace. 
 
  {Open-hearth  furnace},  a  reverberatory  furnace;  esp.,  a  kind 
  of  reverberatory  furnace  in  which  the  fuel  is  gas,  used  in 
  manufacturing  steel. 
 
  {Open-hearth  process}  (Steel  Manuf.),  a  process  by  which 
  melted  cast  iron  is  converted  into  steel  by  the  addition 
  of  wrought  iron,  or  iron  ore  and  manganese,  and  by 
  exposure  to  heat  in  an  open-hearth  furnace;  --  also  called 
  the  {Siemens-Martin  process},  from  the  inventors. 
 
  {Open-hearth  steel},  steel  made  by  an  open-hearth  process;  -- 
  also  called  {Siemens-Martin  steel}. 
 
  {Open  newel}.  (Arch.)  See  {Hollow  newel},  under  {Hollow}. 
 
  {Open  pipe}  (Mus.),  a  pipe  open  at  the  top  It  has  a  pitch 
  about  an  octave  higher  than  a  closed  pipe  of  the  same 
  length. 
 
  {Open-timber  roof}  (Arch.),  a  roof  of  which  the 
  constructional  parts  together  with  the  under  side  of  the 
  covering,  or  its  lining,  are  treated  ornamentally,  and 
  left  to  form  the  ceiling  of  an  apartment  below,  as  in  a 
  church,  a  public  hall,  and  the  like 
 
  {Open  vowel}  or  {consonant}.  See  {Open},  a.,  9. 
 
  Note:  Open  is  used  in  many  compounds,  most  of  which  are 
  self-explaining;  as  open-breasted,  open-minded. 
 
  Syn:  Unclosed;  uncovered;  unprotected;  exposed;  plain; 
  apparent;  obvious;  evident;  public;  unreserved;  frank; 
  sincere;  undissembling  artless.  See  {Candid},  and 
  {Ingenuous}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Open  \O"pen\,  n. 
  Open  or  unobstructed  space;  clear  land,  without  trees  or 
  obstructions;  open  ocean;  open  water.  ``To  sail  into  the 
  open.''  --Jowett  (Thucyd.  ). 
 
  Then  we  got  into  the  open  --W.  Black. 
 
  {In  open},  in  full  view;  without  concealment;  openly.  [Obs.] 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Open  \O"pen\  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Opened};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Opening}.]  [AS.  openian  See  {Open},a.] 
  1.  To  make  or  set  open  to  render  free  of  access  to  unclose; 
  to  unbar;  to  unlock;  to  remove  any  fastening  or  covering 
  from  as  to  open  a  door;  to  open  a  box;  to  open  a  room 
  to  open  a  letter. 
 
  And  all  the  windows  of  my  heart  I  open  to  the  day 
  --Whittier. 
 
  2.  To  spread;  to  expand;  as  to  open  the  hand. 
 
  3.  To  disclose;  to  reveal;  to  interpret;  to  explain. 
 
  The  king  opened  himself  to  some  of  his  council,  that 
  he  was  sorry  for  the  earl's  death.  --Bacon. 
 
  Unto  thee  have  I  opened  my  cause  --Jer.  xx  12. 
 
  While  he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures.  --Luke  xxiv. 
  32. 
 
  4.  To  make  known  to  discover;  also  to  render  available  or 
  accessible  for  settlements,  trade  etc 
 
  The  English  did  adventure  far  for  to  open  the  North 
  parts  of  America.  --Abp.  Abbot. 
 
  5.  To  enter  upon  to  begin;  as  to  open  a  discussion;  to  open 
  fire  upon  an  enemy;  to  open  trade  or  correspondence;  to 
  open  a  case  in  court,  or  a  meeting. 
 
  6.  To  loosen  or  make  less  compact;  as  to  open  matted  cotton 
  by  separating  the  fibers. 
 
  {To  open  one's  mouth},  {to  speak}. 
 
  {To  open  up},  to  lay  open  to  discover;  to  disclose. 
 
  Poetry  that  had  opened  up  so  many  delightful  views 
  into  the  character  and  condition  of  our  ``bold 
  peasantry,  their  country's  pride.''  --Prof. 
  Wilson. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Open  \O"pen\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  unclose;  to  form  a  hole,  breach,  or  gap;  to  be 
  unclosed;  to  be  parted. 
 
  The  earth  opened  and  swallowed  up  Dathan,  and 
  covered  the  company  of  Abiram.  --Ps.  cvi.  17. 
 
  2.  To  expand;  to  spread  out  to  be  disclosed;  as  the  harbor 
  opened  to  our  view. 
 
  3.  To  begin;  to  commence;  as  the  stock  opened  at  par;  the 
  battery  opened  upon  the  enemy. 
 
  4.  (Sporting)  To  bark  on  scent  or  view  of  the  game. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Audience  \Au"di*ence\,  n.  [F.  audience,  L.  audientia  fr  audire 
  to  hear.  See  {Audible},  a.] 
  1.  The  act  of  hearing;  attention  to  sounds. 
 
  Thou,  therefore,  give  due  audience,  and  attend. 
  --Milton. 
 
  2.  Admittance  to  a  hearing;  a  formal  interview,  esp.  with  a 
  sovereign  or  the  head  of  a  government,  for  conference  or 
  the  transaction  of  business. 
 
  According  to  the  fair  play  of  the  world,  Let  me  have 
  audience:  I  am  sent  to  speak.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  An  auditory;  an  assembly  of  hearers.  Also  applied  by 
  authors  to  their  readers. 
 
  Fit  audience  find  though  few  --Milton. 
 
  He  drew  his  audience  upward  to  the  sky.  --Dryden. 
 
  {Court  of  audience},  or  {Audience  court}  (Eng.),  a  court  long 
  since  disused,  belonging  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury; 
  also  one  belonging  to  the  Archbishop  of  York.  --Mozley  & 
  W. 
 
  {In  general}  (or  {open})  {audience},  publicly. 
 
  {To  give  audience},  to  listen;  to  admit  to  an  interview. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  open 
  adj  1:  affording  unobstructed  entrance  and  exit  not  shut  or 
  closed;  "an  open  door";  "they  left  the  door  open" 
  [syn:  {unfastened}]  [ant:  {shut}] 
  2:  affording  free  passage  or  access  "open  drains";  "the  road 
  is  open  to  traffic";  "open  ranks"  [ant:  {closed}] 
  3:  with  no  protection  or  shield;  "the  exposed  northeast 
  frontier";  "open  to  the  weather";  "an  open  wound"  [syn:  {exposed}] 
  4:  open  to  or  in  view  of  all  "an  open  protest";  "an  open 
  letter  to  the  editor" 
  5:  used  of  mouth  or  eyes;  "keep  your  eyes  open";  "his  mouth 
  slightly  opened"  [syn:  {opened}]  [ant:  {closed}] 
  6:  not  having  been  filled;  "the  job  is  still  open" 
  7:  accessible  to  all  "open  season";  "an  open  economy" 
  8:  not  defended  or  capable  of  being  defended;  "an  open  city"; 
  "open  to  attack"  [syn:  {assailable},  {undefendable},  {undefended}] 
  9:  (of  textures)  full  of  small  openings  or  gaps;  "an  open 
  texture";  "a  loose  weave"  [syn:  {loose}] 
  10:  having  no  protecting  cover  or  enclosure;  "an  open  boat";  "an 
  open  fire";  "open  sports  cars" 
  11:  opened  out  "an  open  newspaper" 
  12:  (mathematics)  of  a  set  containing  points  whose  neighborhood 
  consists  of  other  points  of  the  same  set  or  being  the 
  complement  of  an  open  set  of  an  interval;  containing 
  neither  of  its  end  points  [ant:  {closed}] 
  13:  not  brought  to  a  conclusion;  subject  to  further  thought;  "an 
  open  question";  "our  position  on  this  bill  is  still 
  undecided";  "our  lawsuit  is  still  undetermined"  [syn:  {undecided}, 
  {undetermined},  {unresolved}] 
  14:  not  sealed  or  having  been  unsealed;  "the  letter  was  already 
  open";  "the  opened  package  lay  on  the  table"  [syn:  {opened}] 
  15:  without  undue  constriction  as  from  e.g.  tenseness  or 
  inhibition;  "the  clarity  and  resonance  of  an  open  tone"; 
  "her  natural  and  open  response" 
  16:  relatively  empty  of  and  unobstructed  by  fences  or  hedges  or 
  headlands  or  shoals;  "in  open  country";  "the  open 
  countryside";  "open  waters";  "on  the  open  seas" 
  17:  open  and  observable;  not  secret  or  hidden;  "an  overt  lie"; 
  "overt  hostility";  "overt  intelligence  gathering"  [syn:  {overt}] 
  [ant:  {covert}] 
  18:  (music)  used  of  string  or  hole  or  pipe  of  instruments  [syn: 
  {unstopped}]  [ant:  {stopped}] 
  19:  not  requiring  union  membership;  "an  open  shop  employs 
  nonunion  workers"  [syn:  {open(a)}] 
  20:  not  secret;  "open  plans";  "an  open  ballot" 
  21:  without  any  attempt  at  concealment;  completely  obvious; 
  "open  disregard  of  the  law";  "open  family  strife";  "open 
  hostility";  "a  blatant  appeal  to  vanity";  "a  blazing 
  indiscretion"  [syn:  {blatant},  {blazing},  {conspicuous}] 
  22:  affording  free  passage  or  view;  "a  clear  view";  "a  clear 
  path  to  victory";  "a  free  lane"  [syn:  {clear},  {free}] 
  23:  lax  in  enforcing  laws;  "an  open  town"  [syn:  {wide-open},  {lawless}] 
  24:  openly  straightforward  and  direct  without  reserve  or 
  secretiveness;  "his  candid  eyes";  "an  open  and  trusting 
  nature"  [syn:  {candid}] 
  25:  sincere  and  free  of  reserve  in  expression;  "Please  be  open 
  with  me" 
  26:  receptive  to  new  ideas;  "an  open  mind";  "open  to  new  ideas" 
  27:  ready  for  business;  "the  stores  are  open" 
  n  1:  a  clear  or  unobstructed  space  or  expanse  of  land  or  water: 
  "finally  broke  out  of  the  forest  into  the  open"  [syn:  {clear}] 
  2:  where  the  air  is  unconfined;  "he  wanted  to  get  out  in  the 
  air  a  little";  "the  concert  was  held  in  the  open  air"; 
  "camping  in  the  open"  [syn:  {outdoors},  {out-of-doors},  {air}, 
  {open  air}] 
  3:  a  tournament  in  which  both  professionals  and  amateurs  may 
  play 
  4:  information  that  has  become  public;  "all  the  reports  were 
  out  in  the  open";  "the  facts  had  been  brought  to  the 
  surface"  [syn:  {surface}] 
  v  1:  cause  to  open  or  to  become  open  "Mary  opened  the  car  door" 
  [syn:  {open  up}]  [ant:  {close}] 
  2:  start  to  operate  or  function  or  cause  to  start  operating  or 
  functioning;  "open  a  business"  [syn:  {open  up}]  [ant:  {close}] 
  3:  become  open  "The  door  opened"  [syn:  {open  up}]  [ant:  {close}] 
  4:  begin  or  set  in  action  of  meetings,  speeches,  recitals, 
  etc.;  "He  opened  the  meeting  with  a  long  speech"  [ant:  {close}] 
  5:  spread  out  or  open  from  a  folded  state;  "open  the  map"  [syn: 
  {unfold},  {spread},  {spread  out}]  [ant:  {fold}] 
  6:  make  available,  as  of  an  opportunity;  "This  opens  up  new 
  possibilities"  [syn:  {open  up}] 
  7:  become  available;  "an  opportunity  opened  up"  [syn:  {open  up}] 
  8:  have  an  opening  or  passage  or  outlet;  "The  bedrooms  open 
  into  the  hall" 
  9:  make  the  opening  move  in  chess;  "Kasparov  opened  with  a 
  standard  opening" 
  10:  afford  access  to  "the  door  opens  to  the  patio";  "The  French 
  doors  give  onto  a  terrace"  [syn:  {afford},  {give}] 
  11:  display  the  contents  of  a  file  or  start  an  application  [ant: 
  {close}] 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  open  n.  Abbreviation  for  `open  (or  left)  parenthesis'  --  used 
  when  necessary  to  eliminate  oral  ambiguity.  To  read  aloud  the  LISP  form 
  (DEFUN  FOO  X  (PLUS  X  1))  one  might  say:  "Open  defun  foo,  open  eks  close 
  open  plus  eks  one  close  close." 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  open 
 
  1.  To  prepare  to  read  or  write  a  file.  This  usually  involves 
  checking  whether  the  file  already  exists  and  that  the  user  has 
  the  necessary  authorisation  to  read  or  write  it  The  result 
  of  a  successful  open  is  usually  some  kind  of  {capability} 
  (e.g.  a  {Unix}  {file  descriptor})  -  a  token  that  the  user 
  passes  back  to  the  system  in  order  to  access  the  file  without 
  further  checks  and  finally  to  close  the  file. 
 
  2.  Abbreviation  for  "open  (or  left)  parenthesis"  -  used  when 
  necessary  to  eliminate  oral  ambiguity.  To  read  aloud  the  LISP 
  form  (DEFUN  FOO  X  (PLUS  X  1))  one  might  say:  "Open  defun 
  foo,  open  eks  close  open  plus  eks  one  close  close." 
 
  3.  Non-proprietary.  An  open  {standard}  is  one  which  can  be 
  used  without  payment. 
 
  [{Jargon  File}] 
 
  (1995-01-31) 
 
 
 
  From  V.E.R.A.  --  Virtual  Entity  of  Relevant  Acronyms  13  March  2001  [vera]: 
 
  OPEN 
  Open  Protocol  Enhanced  Networks 
 
 




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