INDEX:
1. to open a door, window, box etc
2. when a door or window opens
3. an open door or window
4. to open a bottle, can, jar
5. to open a packet or something that is folded or rolled
6. to open your eyes or mouth
7. when a shop, bank, restaurant etc opens
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ SHUT
see also
↑ FASTEN/UNFASTEN
↑ TIE/UNTIE
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1. to open a door, window, box etc
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [transitive verb]
▪ It’s very hot in here. Do you mind if I open the window?
▪ The drawer’s locked - you need a key to open it.
open something wide
▪ He opened the door wide, and gestured for me to come in.
▷ unlock /ʌnˈlɒkǁ-ˈlɑːk/ [transitive verb]
to turn the a key in the lock on a door, drawer, cupboard etc so that you can open it :
▪ Unlock the door! We can’t get out!
▪ Which of these keys unlocks the safe?
▪ ‘Come and see’, Jo said, unlocking a huge iron gate.
▷ force open /ˌfɔːʳs ˈəʊpen/ [verb phrase]
to open a drawer, window, cupboard etc by using force, often with a tool :
force something/it open
▪ The door’s stuck - we’ll have to force it open.
force open something
▪ The burglars had forced open the window with an iron bar.
▪ It looked as though the shed had been forced open.
▷ break open /ˌbreɪk ˈəʊpən/ [verb phrase]
to open a container by using force, so that it is damaged :
break open something
▪ We managed to break open the crate with an axe.
break something/it/them open
▪ There’s no key for the suitcase - we’ll have to break it open.
▪ Gulls carry shellfish into the air, then drop them onto hard surfaces to break them open.
▷ prise open British /pry open American /ˌpraɪz ˈəʊpən, ˌpraɪ ˈəʊpən/ [verb phrase]
to open something by forcing one part of it away from the other part, using a tool :
prise something/it/them open
▪ All the flats were boarded up, but we managed to prise a few boards open.
prise open something
▪ Laura leaned forward to pry open the crate.
prise the lid off
remove the lid to open it
▪ I picked up the coffee tin and, using a knife, prised the lid off.
▷ try /traɪ/ [transitive verb not in passive]
to try to open a door or window in order to see if it is locked :
▪ I knocked, then tried the door. It was open, but the room was empty.
▪ I went around the back to try the windows, but they were all locked.
▷ break down /ˌbreɪk ˈdaʊn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to completely break a locked door in order to get into a room or building :
break down something
▪ Firemen had to break the door down.
break something/it down
▪ Open the door now or we’ll break it down!
▷ wind down/roll down British /ˌwaɪnd ˈdaʊn, ˌrəʊl ˈdaʊn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to open a car window, especially by turning a handle :
wind/roll down something
▪ The driver wound down his window and asked us the way to the stadium.
wind/roll something down
▪ Mom, will you roll your window down a little please?
▷ open up /ˌəʊpən ˈʌp/ spoken
use this to tell someone to open a door :
▪ Open up - it’s the police!
2. when a door or window opens
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [intransitive verb]
▪ The train doors open and close automatically.
▪ The door slowly opened and a small boy entered the room.
▪ After a short discussion with the customs officers, the gates opened and the truck moved off.
▷ burst/fly open /ˌbɜːʳst, ˌflaɪ ˈəʊpən/ [verb phrase]
to open very suddenly - used especially in stories or descriptions :
▪ Before Mr Carey could speak, the door burst open and Mr Watson rushed into the room.
▪ Every time we go round a corner, the passenger door flies open.
3. an open door or window
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [adjective]
▪ Carrie stood in front of the open window.
▪ The office door was open, and I could hear everything they said.
push/slide/kick etc something open
▪ In the mirror, she saw him slide open one of his drawers.
wide open
▪ Do you know you left the window wide open all night?
▷ ajar /əˈdʒɑːʳ/ [adjective not before noun]
a door that is ajar is slightly open - used in written English :
▪ She had left her bedroom door ajar and could hear her parents talking downstairs.
slightly ajar
▪ To his right was a large walk-in cupboard, its door slightly ajar.
4. to open a bottle, can, jar
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [transitive verb]
to open a bottle, box, or other container by removing or lifting its top or lid :
▪ Ask the waiter to open another bottle of champagne.
▪ a little gadget that helps you to open jars
▷ unscrew /ʌnˈskruː/ [transitive verb]
to remove the top or lid of a bottle or container by turning it :
▪ Robyn unscrewed a jar of moisturiser and smoothed it over her face.
▪ Pills are stored in containers with tops that are difficult for children to unscrew.
▷ crack open /ˌkræk ˈəʊpən/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to open a bottle of alcohol :
crack open something
▪ Let’s crack open a bottle of champagne.
crack something/it open
▪ We cracked a few cans of beer open and sat down to watch the game.
▷ uncork /ʌnˈkɔːʳk/ [transitive verb]
to open a bottle of wine by removing the cork. The cork is a piece of wood which is put in the top of the bottle :
▪ Ray uncorked the bottle and offered me a glass of wine.
5. to open a packet or something that is folded or rolled
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [transitive verb]
▪ Aren’t you going to open your letter?
▪ Judy opened another pack of cigarettes.
▪ When I received the parcel, it had already been opened.
▷ unwrap /ʌnˈræp/ [transitive verb]
to open a package by removing the paper that is wrapped around it :
▪ I just love unwrapping Christmas presents!
▪ Sarah sat down and unwrapped her sandwiches.
▷ unfold /ʌnˈfəʊld/ [transitive verb]
to open something that was folded, such as a piece of paper or cloth :
▪ They unfolded the tablecloth and set out the picnic.
▪ The receipt had been folded and unfolded so many times that it was almost in pieces.
▷ unroll /ʌnˈrəʊl/ [transitive verb]
to spread out something that was rolled up, so that it lies flat :
▪ He unrolled the map and spread it on the table.
▪ While we were admiring the rugs, the shopkeeper started to unroll a splendid carpet.
6. to open your eyes or mouth
▷ open your eyes/mouth /ˌəʊpən jɔːr ˈaɪz, ˈmaʊθ/ [verb phrase]
▪ She opened her eyes and sat up in bed.
open (your mouth) wide
▪ The dentist told me to open my mouth a little wider.
▪ Open wide. I need to look at the back of your throat.
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [adjective not usually before noun]
when your mouth or eyes are open :
▪ She sleeps with her eyes half open.
can hardly keep your eyes open
▪ I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open.
wide open
open as much as possible
▪ Ben was staring at her with his mouth wide open.
▷ gaping /ˈgeɪpɪŋ/ [adjective]
if someone’s mouth is gaping, it is wide open, especially because they are very shocked or surprised :
▪ Flies crawled over the gaping mouth of the injured man.
7. when a shop, bank, restaurant etc opens
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [intransitive verb]
if a shop, bank, restaurant etc opens at a particular time in the day, people can use it from that time :
▪ ‘What times do the banks open?’ ‘Normally at around 9.30.’
▪ On Saturdays, the restaurant opens at 7 p.m.
open early/late
▪ Unknown to me, the office had opened early, and all the tickets had been sold.
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [adjective not before noun]
if a shop, bank, restaurant etc is open, it is available for people to use :
▪ The World Café is open from 10 a.m. till 11 p.m.