open
adjective
uk/ˈəʊpən/ us COMMERCE
if a shop, bank, office, etc. is open, its door are unlocked and it is doing business:
Our offices are open from 9 to 5.
The club has a liquor license allowing it to remain open until 2 a.m.
The new airport terminal is now open for business.
STOCK MARKET
if a financial market is open, investors can trade shares, bonds, etc. on it:
For the purposes of this agreement, a business day is any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open for business.
willing to consider something:
open to sth A spokesman for the organization said they were open to a deal at the right price.
open to offers/suggestions/negotiation
available to be used, considered, etc. :
open to sth Membership is open to all local businesses.
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.
not secret or hidden from members, the public, etc.:
open about sth After the economic crisis, consumers expect banks to be more open and transparent about their lending policies.
allowing everyone to share their ideas and information:
open debate/dialogue/discussion These are complicated questions, and we welcome an open discussion about them.
open communication
IT
if a computer file, document, or program is open, it is ready to be used:
Make sure the file you're copying to is open before you click 'Paste'.
Compare
closed
keep your options open
to avoid doing or deciding something immediately in case there is a better opportunity to consider later:
They are still keeping their options open but a merger is a strong possibility.
open court
LAW
a court of law where the details of a case are available to the public:
The law firm didn't want the hearings held in open court because it feared the press would influence public opinion.
open question
something which has not been decided yet:
How voters will view this latest crisis remains an open question.
have/keep an open mind
to wait until you know all the facts before forming an opinion or making a decision about something:
The judge urged the jury to keep an open mind until they had heard all the evidence.
open
verb
uk/ˈəʊpən/ us [ I or T ] COMMERCE
to start doing business and dealing with customers :
We open daily from 11 to 6.
[ I or T ] COMMERCE
to start a new business:
The Chicago-based coffee chain has opened branches in every major city in the UK.
[ I ] STOCK MARKET
if shares, bonds, etc. open at a particular price or rate, that is the amount they are worth when trading starts that day:
Share prices on the London Stock Exchange opened lower today.
[ T ]
to start something:
open a conference/meeting/proceedings The Chief Executive opened the meeting with an announcement of big redundancies throughout the group.
open discussions/negotiations/talks The union had not yet decided when to open negotiations with management.
[ T ] IT
if you open a computer file, document, or program you make it ready for you to start reading or working on:
You can open the program from the menu or by double-clicking the icon.
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close (sth) down
open an account
BANKING
to enter into an agreement with a bank or other financial organization so that they look after your money:
Open an internet savings account before the end of March and get a free mobile phone.
open your borders/markets
COMMERCE
to allow foreign countries to sell their goods and products in your country with fair conditions:
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.
open doors for sb (also open the door for sb)
to make it possible for someone to do something:
The former Republican candidate was key in opening the door for more women to run for office in the US.
open the floodgates (to sb/sth)
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:
Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for customers to sue over high fees.
Phrasal verb
open up
open
noun [ S ]
uk/ˈəʊpən/ us STOCK MARKET
the time when a stock market begins trading:
Bonds rose at the open after a cut in German interest rates.
Stocks fell heavily at the open of trading today.