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not closed or fastened:
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an open door/window
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An open suitcase lay on her bed.
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You left the container open.
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Someone had left the window wide (= completely) open.
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He had several nasty open wounds (= those which had not begun to heal).
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1
ready to be used or ready to provide a service:
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The supermarket is open till 8.00 p.m.
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The road is open now, but it is often blocked by snow in the winter.
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The new hospital was declared open by the mayor.
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2
not closed in or covered:
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It's not a good idea to camp in the middle of an open field (= one which is not covered with trees, bushes, etc.).
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Suddenly we had left the city behind and were out in open country.
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The survivors were adrift on the open sea (= far from land).
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3
If a computer document or program is open, it is ready to be read or used:
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Make sure you have both files open at the same time.
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4
available; not limited:
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There are still several possibilities open to you.
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The competition is open to anyone over the age of 16.
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Is the library open to the general public?
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Their whole attitude to these negotiations is open to criticism (= can be criticized).
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I'd like to think I'm open to (= willing to consider) any reasonable suggestion.
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An accident would lay the whole issue of safety open (= cause it to be considered).
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5
not secret:
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There has been open hostility between them ever since they had that argument last summer.
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He's very open about his weaknesses.
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I wish you'd be more open with me, and tell me what you're feeling.
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She has an honest, open face.
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6
not decided or certain:
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We don't have to make a firm decision yet. Let's leave it open.
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We can leave our offer open for another week, but we have to have your decision by then.
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I want to keep my options open, so I'm not committing myself yet.
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7
An open question can be answered in many different ways, and not with just "yes" or "no" or by choosing one of a number of fixed answers:
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Ask an open question along the lines of "What do you think/feel about this?"
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The interviewer should ask open and probing questions.
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to (cause to) begin:
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I would like to open my talk by giving a brief background to the subject.
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I'm going to open an account with another bank.
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The Olympic Games open tomorrow.
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A new radio station is due to open (up) next month.
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The film opens (= will be shown for the first time) in New York and Los Angeles next week.
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9
to move something to a position that is not closed, or to make something change to a position that is not closed:
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Could you open the window, please?
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You can open your eyes now - here's your present.
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The flowers open (out) in the morning but close again in the afternoon.
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From the kitchen there is a door that opens (out) into the garden.
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That door opens (out) onto the patio.
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informal "Open up (= open the door) - it's the police!" shouted the police officer, banging on the door.
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Don't open a new bottle just for me.
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I couldn't wait to open the letter.
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10
If a shop or office opens at a particular time of day, it starts to do business at that time:
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The coffee shop opens at ten o'clock.
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He opens (up) his coffee shop at ten o'clock.
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The new hospital will be officially opened by the mayor on Tuesday.
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to make something available:
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12
If you open a computer document or program, you make it ready to read or use:
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To open a new document, click "File" and then click "New".
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Click the desktop icon to open the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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13
somewhere outside, rather than in a building:
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It's good to be (out) in the open after being cooped up in an office all day.
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to tell people information that was secret:
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It's time this issue was brought out into the open.
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being in a position that allows things to pass through or that allows for immediate use; not closed or fastened:
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The window was wide open.
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The trunk of his car had been pried open.
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16
ready to be used or to provide a service:
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The supermarket is open till 9 p.m.
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not decided or certain:
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I want to keep my options open until I have all the facts.
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Whether we’ll go is still an open question.
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You should keep an open mind about your new school (= not form any opinions) until you’ve been there.
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not secret:
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Open warfare had broken out in Yugoslavia.
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He is quite open about his weaknesses.
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not enclosed or covered:
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The park is one of the city’s largest open spaces.
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20
available; not limited:
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Are there any positions open in the marketing department?
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This library is open to the general public.
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Their behavior at these negotiations is open to criticism (= can be criticized).
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I’m open to (= willing to consider) any reasonable suggestion.
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21
to begin something or cause it to begin:
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[ T ] I would like to open the meeting by asking each of you to introduce yourself.
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[ M ] They’re opening up a new restaurant in about a month.
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[ I ] The film opens (= will be shown for the first time) next week.
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22
to become or make something ready to provide a service:
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[ I ] The cleaners opens (up) around seven.
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[ T ] They opened the exhibit to the public yesterday.
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23
if a shop, bank, office, etc. is open, its door are unlocked and it is doing business:
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Our offices are open from 9 to 5.
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The club has a liquor license allowing it to remain open until 2 a.m.
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The new airport terminal is now open for business.
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24
if a financial market is open, investors can trade shares, bonds, etc. on it:
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For the purposes of this agreement, a business day is any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open for business.
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25
willing to consider something:
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open to sth A spokesman for the organization said they were open to a deal at the right price.
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open to offers/suggestions/negotiation
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26
available to be used, considered, etc. :
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open to sth Membership is open to all local businesses.
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leave the door/option/possibility open The appeals court left open the possibility that the computing giant could be forced to change its business practices.
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not secret or hidden from members, the public, etc.:
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allowing everyone to share their ideas and information:
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open debate/dialogue/discussion These are complicated questions, and we welcome an open discussion about them.
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open communication
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29
if a computer file, document, or program is open, it is ready to be used:
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Make sure the file you're copying to is open before you click 'Paste'.
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30
to avoid doing or deciding something immediately in case there is a better opportunity to consider later:
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a court of law where the details of a case are available to the public:
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something which has not been decided yet:
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33
to wait until you know all the facts before forming an opinion or making a decision about something:
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The judge urged the jury to keep an open mind until they had heard all the evidence.
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34
to start doing business and dealing with customers :
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We open daily from 11 to 6.
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to start a new business:
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The Chicago-based coffee chain has opened branches in every major city in the UK.
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if shares, bonds, etc. open at a particular price or rate, that is the amount they are worth when trading starts that day:
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Share prices on the London Stock Exchange opened lower today.
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37
to start something:
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open a conference/meeting/proceedings The Chief Executive opened the meeting with an announcement of big redundancies throughout the group.
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open discussions/negotiations/talks The union had not yet decided when to open negotiations with management.
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38
if you open a computer file, document, or program you make it ready for you to start reading or working on:
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You can open the program from the menu or by double-clicking the icon.
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39
to enter into an agreement with a bank or other financial organization so that they look after your money:
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Open an internet savings account before the end of March and get a free mobile phone.
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40
to allow foreign countries to sell their goods and products in your country with fair conditions:
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The US threatened to put a 100% tax on Japan's luxury cars unless it agreed to open its markets to US cars and parts.
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41
to make it possible for someone to do something:
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The former Republican candidate was key in opening the door for more women to run for office in the US.
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42
to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen:
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Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for customers to sue over high fees.
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43
the time when a stock market begins trading:
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Bonds rose at the open after a cut in German interest rates.
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Stocks fell heavily at the open of trading today.
