Word meaning out in the open

o•pen /ˈoʊpən/USA pronunciation  adj.

1. not closed or barred at the time mentioned:She left the windows open at night.
2. (of a door, window sash, etc.) set so as to permit passage through the opening that it can be used to close;
   not locked:The door is open; come in.
3. arranged so that the inside is easy to reach:The dresser drawer was open.
4. mostly free of things that block or that prevent movement through:an open floor plan.
5. built or designed so as not to be fully enclosed:[before a noun]an open staircase.
6. having mostly large or numerous empty spaces, gaps, or intervals:[before a noun]open ranks of soldiers.
7. not covered or closed:His eyes were open.
8. without a covering, esp. a covering that protects:an open wound.
9. extended, unfolded, or arranged:an open newspaper; The book was open on the desk.
10. without restrictions or limits as to who may participate:open enrollment.
11. available:Which job is open?
12. available or possible for one to do:[be + ~ + to]What course of action is open to us now?
13. ready for or carrying on normal trade or business:The new store is now open.
14. not reserved, engaged, or committed:open time on the calendar.
15. so clear that all can see or know:[before a noun]open disregard of the rules.
16. truthful;
    honest;
    candid:always open and fair in his dealings with others.
17. generous:to give with an open hand.
18. likely to receive:[be + ~ + to + object]He left himself open to criticism.
19. willing to receive or accept:[be + ~ + to]open to suggestions.
20. undecided;
    unsettled:several open questions.
21. (in sports) unguarded by an opponent:An open receiver caught the pass.

v.

1. to (cause to) be moved from a shut or closed position, such as a door, window, etc.: [~ + object]He opened the door.[no object]The door slowly opened.
2. to remove a blockage or barrier from:[~ + object]to open the road after a snowstorm.
3. (of a road, pass, etc.) to have a blockage or barrier removed:[no object]The road finally opened when the blizzard stopped.
4. to (cause to) be not covered or closed;
   (cause to) have certain parts apart: [~ + object]He opened his mouth to speak.[no object]His eyes opened suddenly.
5. to arrange so that the inside of (a box, drawer, etc.) is easily reached:[~ + object]Open the toolbox.
6. to make available:[~ + object]to open a port for trade.
7. to (cause to) be made ready for customers or normal work activity: [~ + object]They open the store at nine o’clock.[no object]They open at nine o’clock.
8. to (cause to) be established or set up for business purposes or for public use: [~ + object]The company will open an office in Singapore.[no object]A new store opened on Main Street last week.
9. to (cause to) be set in action, begun, or started: [~ + object]opened the meeting with a short speech.[no object]The meeting opened with a short speech.
10. [~ + object]
    • to expose to view:The surgeon opened the chest cavity.
    • to disclose;
      reveal;
      show:He opened his heart to her (= He let her see his true feelings). 

11. to (cause to) be expanded, unfolded, spread out;
    (cause to) be turned or arranged to be read: [~ + object]to open a map.[no object]The map opened easily.
12. to (cause to) be less tight, less compact, or less closely spaced: [~ + object]The soldiers began to open ranks.[no object]The ranks of the soldiers began to open.
13. to make (the mind) ready to receive knowledge, sympathy, etc.: [~ + object]College opened his mind.[no object]His mind opened when he went to college.
14. to make or produce (a way or path):[~ + object]to open a way through a crowd.
15. to provide a way of approaching a place:[no object]a door that opens into a garden.
16. to part or seem to part:[no object]The clouds opened.
17. to (cause to) spread out: [~ + object]He opened his hand and revealed a shiny new quarter.[no object]His hand opened.
18. to (cause to) spread or expand: [no object]The flower opened in the sunlight.[~ + object]The fisherman opened the oysters with a sharp knife.
19. to (cause to) be created: [~ + up + object]The new program opens (up) new possibilities.[~ (+ up)]New possibilities open (up) thanks to this proposal.
20. open up:
    • to make or become open: [no object]The flower opened up in the sun.[~ + up + object]They opened up their shops.[~ + object + up]It was too early to open the shops up.
    • [no object] to begin firing a gun or the like:The infantry opened up with their automatic weapons.
    • [no object] to share or become willing to share one’s feelings, confidences, etc.:had to learn to open up to others.

n.

1. an open or clear space:[uncountable* the + ~]was out in the open where he could be seen.
2. the open air;
   outdoors:[uncountable* the + ~]They slept out in the open.
3. [uncountable* the + ~] open water, as of the sea.
4. Sport a contest or tournament in which both amateurs and professionals may compete:[countable]tennis opens.

Idioms

1. Idioms open someone’s eyes, to make someone alert to a situation.
2. Idioms out in or in the open, not hidden;
   not concealed:The secret is finally out in the open.

o•pen•ness, n. [uncountable]

o•pen 
(ō′pən),USA pronunciation adj. 

1. not closed or barred at the time, as a doorway by a door, a window by a sash, or a gateway by a gate:to leave the windows open at night.
2. (of a door, gate, window sash, or the like) set so as to permit passage through the opening it can be used to close.
3. having no means of closing or barring:an open portico.
4. having the interior immediately accessible, as a box with the lid raised or a drawer that is pulled out.
5. relatively free of obstructions to sight, movement, or internal arrangement:an open floor plan.
6. constructed so as to be without cover or enclosure on the top or on some or all sides:an open boat.
7. having relatively large or numerous spaces, voids, or intervals:an open architectural screen; open ranks of soldiers.
8. perforated or porous:an open texture.
9. relatively unoccupied by buildings, fences, trees, etc.:open country.
10. not covered or closed;
    with certain parts apart:open eyes; open mouth.
11. without a covering, esp. a protective covering;
    unprotected;
    unenclosed;
    exposed:an open wound; open electrical wires.
12. extended or unfolded:an open newspaper.
13. without restrictions as to who may participate:an open competition; an open session.
14. accessible or available to follow:the only course still open to us.
15. not taken or filled;
    not preempted;
    available;
    vacant:Which job is open?
16. ready for or carrying on normal trade or business:The new store is now open. The office is open on Saturdays.
17. not engaged or committed:Have you any open time on Monday?
18. accessible, as to appeals, ideas, or offers:to be open to suggestion.
19. exposed to general view or knowledge;
    existing, carried on, etc., without concealment:open disregard of the rules.
20. acting publicly or without concealment, as a person.
21. unreserved, candid, or frank, as persons or their speech, aspect, etc.:an open manner.
22. generous, liberal, or bounteous:to give with an open hand.
23. liable or subject:open to question; open to retaliation.
24. undecided;
    unsettled:several open questions.
25. without effective or enforced legal, commercial, or moral regulations:an open town.
26. unguarded by an opponent:an open wide receiver.
27. noting the part of the sea beyond headlands or enclosing areas of land:to sail on the open seas.
28. free of ice, as a body of water or a seaport.
29. free of navigational hazards:an open coast.
30. (of a seaport) available for foreign trade;
    not closed by government regulations or by considerations of health.
31. (of a microphone) in operation;
    live.
32. (of a delimiting punctuation mark) occurring at the beginning of a group of words or characters that is set off, as from surrounding text:open parenthesis; open quotes.Cf. close (def. 56).
33. not yet balanced or adjusted, as an account.
34. Physiologynot constipated, as the bowels.
35. Phonetics
    • (of a vowel) articulated with a relatively large opening above the tongue or with a relatively large oral aperture, as the vowel sound of cot compared with that in caught.
    • (of a syllable) ending with a vowel.
    • (of a consonant) continuant (opposed to stopped).

36. Oceanography, Linguistics[Ling.](of a class of items) readily admitting new members, as the class of nouns, verbs, or adjectives (opposed to closed).
37. [Print.]
    • Printing(of type) in outline form.
    • Printingwidely spaced or leaded, as printed matter.

38. Music and Dance
    • (of an organ pipe) not closed at the far end.
    • (of a string) not stopped by a finger.
    • (of a note) produced by such a pipe or string or, on a wind instrument, without the aid of a slide, key, etc.

39. Mathematics
    • (of an interval) containing neither endpoint.
    • (of a set) consisting of points having neighborhoods wholly contained in the set, as the set of points within a circle.
    • Mathematics(of a map from one topological space to another) having the property that the image of an open set is an open set.

40. free from frost;
    mild or moderate:an open winter.
41. Animal Husbandry(of a female animal) not pregnant.
42. Textiles(of a fabric or weave) so loosely woven that spaces are visible between warp and filling yarns.

v.t.

1. to move (a door, window sash, etc.) from a shut or closed position so as to admit of passage.
2. to render (a doorway, gateway, window, etc.) unobstructed by moving a door, window sash, etc., away from it.
3. to render the interior of (a box, drawer, etc.) readily accessible.
4. to clear (a passage, channel, etc.) of obstructions.
5. to clear (areas or passages in the body).
6. to give access to;
   make accessible or available, as for use:to open a port for trade.
7. to establish for business purposes or for public use:to open an office.
8. to set in action, begin, start, or commence (sometimes fol. by up):to open a campaign.
9. to uncover, lay bare, or expose to view.
10. to expand, unfold, or spread out:to open a map.
11. to make less compact, less closely spaced, or the like:to open ranks.
12. to disclose, reveal, or divulge.
13. to render accessible to knowledge, enlightenment, sympathy, etc.:to open one’s mind.
14. to cut, blast, or break into:to open a safe with nitro.
15. to make or produce (an opening) by cutting or breaking, or by pushing aside or removing obstructions:to open a way through a crowd.
16. to make an incision or opening in:to open a boil.
17. Law
    • Lawto recall or revoke (a judgment, decree, etc.) for the purpose of allowing further contest or delay.
    • Lawto make the first statement of (a case) to the court or jury.

18. Games[Cards.]to begin a hand by making (the first bid), placing (the first bet), or playing (a given card or suit) as the lead.
19. Nautical, Naval Termsto sail (a course) so that the apparent location of a distant fixed object changes with relation to a nearer fixed object (sometimes fol. by out).

v.i.

1. to become open, as a door, building, box, or enclosure.
2. to afford access:a door that opens into a garden.
3. to have an opening, passage, or outlet:The room opens into a corridor.
4. (of a building, theater, etc.) to open its doors to the public:The museum opens at one o’clock.
5. to begin a session or term, as a school.
6. to begin a season, series of performances, or tour, as a theatrical company:The play will open in Boston.
7. to begin, start, or commence an activity:The game opened with the national anthem.
8. to part, or seem to part, so as to allow or reveal a passage:At last the cliffs opened to show us that we were heading for the sea.
9. to become disclosed or revealed.
10. to come into view;
    become more visible or plain.
11. to become receptive to knowledge, sympathy, etc., as the mind.
12. to disclose or reveal one’s knowledge, thoughts, feelings, etc.
13. to unfold or expand, as a blossom, so as to reveal the interior.
14. to spread out or expand, as the hand or a fan.
15. to spread apart or separate, as pages of a book, newspaper, etc.:Open to page 32.
16. to spread or come apart;
    burst:The wound opened.
17. to become less compact, less closely spaced, or the like:The ranks began to open.
18. Games[Cards.]to make the first bet, bid, or lead in beginning a hand.
19. Sport[Hunting.](of hounds) to begin to bark, as on the scent of game.
20. Idioms open up:
    • to become or make open.
    • to expand, esp. before the eye:A breathtaking panorama opened up as we reached the top of the hill.
    • to achieve the initial development of:to open up a business office; to open up trade with China.
    • [Slang.]to increase speed or the speed of (a vehicle).

n.

1. an open or clear space.
2. the open air.
3. the open water, as of the sea.
4. an opening or aperture.
5. an opening or opportunity.
6. Sporta contest or tournament in which both amateurs and professionals may compete, esp. in golf and tennis.
7. Sport the open:
   • the unenclosed or unobstructed country.
   • the outdoors:Vacations in the open are fine for the entire family.
   • the condition of being unconcealed, recognized, or publicly known:The scandal is now out in the open.

o′pen•ly, adv. 
o′pen•ness, n. 

• 21.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See frank ¹.