n.
Pronunciation: ' ō p-ni ŋ , ' ō -p ə -
Function: noun
Date: 13th century
1 a : an act or instance of making or becoming open b : an act or instance of beginning : COMMENCEMENT especially : a formal and usually public event by which something new is put officially into operation
2 : something that is open: as a (1) : BREACH , APERTURE (2) : an open width : SPAN b : an area without trees or with scattered usually mature trees that occurs as a break in a forest c : two pages that face one another in a book
3 : something that constitutes a beginning: as a : a usually planned series of moves made at the beginning of a game of chess or checkers ― compare ENDGAME , MIDDLE GAME b : a first performance
4 a : OCCASION , CHANCE b : an opportunity for employment