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opening |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Opening \O"pen*ing\, n. 1. The act or process of opening; a beginning; commencement; first appearance; as the opening of a speech. The opening of your glory was like that of light. --Dryden. 2. A place which is open a breach; an aperture; a gap; cleft, or hole. We saw him at the opening of his tent. --Shak. 3. Hence: A vacant place an opportunity; as an opening for business. [Colloq.] --Dickens. 4. A thinly wooded space, without undergrowth, in the midst of a forest; as oak openings. [U.S.] --Cooper. 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 WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: opening adj : first or beginning; "the memorable opening bars of Beethoven's Fifth"; "the play's opening scene" [ant: {closing}] n 1: an open or empty space in or between things "there was a small opening between the trees"; "the explosion made a gap in the wall" [syn: {gap}] 2: a ceremony accompanying the start of some enterprise 3: becoming open or being made open "the opening of his arms was the sign I was waiting for" 4: the first performance (as of a theatrical production); "the opening received good critical reviews" [syn: {opening night}, {curtain raising}] 5: the act of opening something "the ray of light revealed his cautious opening of the door" [ant: {shutting}] 6: opportunity especially for employment or promotion; "there is an opening in the sales department" 7: the initial part of the introduction; "the opening established the basic theme" 8: a possible alternative; "bankruptcy is always a possibility" [syn: {possibility}, {possible action}] 9: an aperture or hole opening into a bodily cavity; "the orifice into the aorta from the lower left chamber of the heart" [syn: {orifice}] 10: a vacant or unobstructed space; "they left a small opening for the cat at the bottom of the door" 11: an entrance equipped with a hatch; especially a passageway between decks of a ship [syn: {hatchway}, {scuttle}] 12: the first of a series of actions; "he memorized all the important chess openings" [syn: {first step}, {initiative}, {opening move}]
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