See Also: misween(dictionary)

open (iou) and misween (iou)


open (iou)



open verb.

I. verb trans.
Move or turn (a door, gate, etc.) away from a closed or obstructing position, esp. so as to allow passage; part or separate (the lips, eyelids, etc.). OE.
J. Braine He seemed to be able to speak and scarcely open his lips. I. Murdoch Danby opened a door..and marched in. R. P. Jhabvala She had not allowed the servants to..open the shutters.
Spread apart or out; expand, unfold, unroll, extend. OE.
T. Day He..had a library, although he never opened a book. H. Roth She opened her palms in a gesture of emphasis. E. Welty Every spring..it opened its first translucent flowers.
Uncover, disclose to sight, display; spec. uncover (an eye) by separating the eyelids. OE.
M. Amis I opened an eye to see the..self-righteous figure.
Make known to the mental or spiritual view; reveal, disclose, or divulge (now only one's mind, feelings, feeling, etc.). OE.
Make (a building, box, Other enclosing object, or enclosed space) open by moving or turning a door, gate, lid, or some Other part of the enclosing boundaries, or by clearing away something that obstructs passage; break open, undo; provide free access to or egress from; fig. make mentally or emotionally receptive (to). ME.
Lytton She saw Evelyn opening the monthly parcel from London. M. E. Braddon Daphne..opened her colour-box. T. O'Brien He gazed at the girl..opening himself to whatever she might answer. J. Fowles My father opened champagne.
b. spec. Give access to for a particular purpose; make (esp. a shop, public house, etc.) accessible to a person, the public (for some purpose). M16.
c. Ceremonially declare (a building, park, fete, shop, etc.) to be completed and available for use or open for business for the first time. M19.
a. Make an opening in; cut or break into; make a hole or incision in. Also, break up (ground) by ploughing, digging, etc. ME.
b. Make or cause (an opening or open space of some kind) by cutting, breaking in, or breaking up. ME.
Shelley Alpheus bold..With his trident..opened a chasm In the rocks.
c. Cut open (the leaves of a book); = CUT verb 9. E19.
d. Polish part of (a rough gem) so as to view the interior. Also foll. by up. E20.
Make less or no longer tight, dense, stiff, etc. Formerly also, unfasten, break apart (a seal). ME.
b. Dissolve, decompose. L17-M19.
Explain the sense of; expound, interpret. Now rare or obsolete. ME.
Make more intelligent, enlightened, or sympathetic; expand, enlighten (the mind or heart). ME.
G. Berkeley His Understanding wants to be opened and enlarged.
a. Clear of obstruction or hindrance; make (a road etc.) free for passage. LME.
b. Clear a bodily passage of (esp. digestive) obstructions; cause evacuation of (the bowels); clear (obstructions) from a bodily passage. L16.
c. Electricity. Break or interrupt (an electric circuit); put (a switch or circuit-breaker) into a condition in which it interrupts an electric circuit. M19.
Make accessible or available for settlement, use, trade, communication, etc. Cf. open up (a) below. LME.
a. Begin, start, commence; set in action, initiate, (proceedings, operations, or business); take the action required, as making an initial deposit, to establish (a bank account etc.). LME.
J. Reed Cossack artillery opened fire on the barracks. D. Caute Opening the debate, Harry said that the demand went too far. Which? Open the new account and transfer all standing orders.
b. Bridge. Make the first statement in (the bidding); offer as a particular bid. M20.
Law. State (a case, the substance of the pleadings, etc.) to a court, before calling witnesses or (esp.) before any statement from the Other side. Also, state (an argument, assertion, etc.) in opening a case. E17.
Nautical. Come in sight of by rounding or passing some intervening object. M18.
Undo or set aside (a judgement, settlement, sale, etc.) so as to allow for further action, discussion, or negotiation. L18.
II. verb intrans.
Become physically open; become no longer shut or closed; be open for business etc.; come apart so as to reveal a space, display the interior, or allow access or free passage through. OE.
W. Cather The door of the front office opened. J. Steinbeck Kino's eyes opened, and he looked..at the lightening square. G. Greene The wound opened again. Hamilton (Ontario) Spectator Do you think all stores should..open on Sunday? fig.: P. Abrahams The skies opened and the rain fell.
b. Electricity. Of a circuit or device: suffer a break in its conducting path. M19.
a. Expand, extend, spread out or apart. Also, (of a collective body) move apart so as to present gaps. Also foll. by out. LME.
E. K. Kane The little flag..opened once more to the breeze. T. O'Brien Flares opened high over blue-tile domes.
b. fig. Increase in intellect or sympathy. E18.
Of a hound: begin to bay or cry out in pursuit of a scent. LME.
Declare one's knowledge, thoughts, or feelings; speak out; speak freely; explain. Also foll. by out. M16.
Of a door, room, etc.: give access, have or provide an opening, into, on to, to, etc. E17.
Law Times An outer door opening on to a..stairway.
a. Begin to appear; become increasingly visible, esp. on nearer approach or change of position. E18.
b. Nautical. Become distinct or separate to the view. M18.
Begin; start or commence operations; spec. (a) begin speaking, Writing, etc.; (b) open fire; (c) Theatrical make a debut, be performed for the first time, begin a season or tour; (d) Cards make the first bid or bet, lead on a hand. E18.
L. Durrell The first chapter of guns opens from the south. Times Literary Supplement The story opens with lobstering in the Orkneys. M. Hamburger The year opens with frozen pipes. John Brooke In the spring of 1761 peace negotiations opened between Great Britain and France. S. Hastings The play..opened at the Lyric in London.
Phrases: not open one's mouth say nothing, remain silent. open a gate for, open a gate to: see GATE noun1. open a person's eyes: see EYE noun. open a door for, open a door to: see DOOR noun. open one's budget: see BUDGET noun 1. open one's ears: see EAR noun1. open one's heart (to): see HEART noun. open one's mind (to): see MIND noun1. open one's shop window: see SHOP noun. open the ball: see BALL noun2 1. open the shoulders: see SHOULDER noun. the SCENE opens.
With adverbs in specialized senses: open out verb phr. trans. (a) make visible or accessible by removing something which covers or conceals; (b) develop, bring out; (c) disclose, reveal, tell; (d) = open up (e) below; (see also senses 17a, 20 above). open up (a) verb phr. trans. make accessible or available to view or for use, passage, etc., esp. by the removal of obstructions; unlock (premises); lay open or initiate (a new line of enquiry); bring to notice, reveal; (b) verb phr. intrans. become accessible or available for passage, view, enterprise, etc., esp. by the removal of obstructions; (c) verb phr. trans. & intrans. (Austral. & NZ) shear wool from (some part, esp. the neck, of a sheep); (d) verb phr. intrans. talk or speak openly; (e) verb phr. trans. & intrans. increase the speed of (an engine) by widening the throttle (cf. open out (d) above); (f) verb phr. intrans. start shooting (at, on).
openable adjective able to be opened L18.

misween (iou)



misween verb.L16.
[from MIS-1 1 + WEEN.]
verb intrans. Have a wrong opinion (that). L16-M17.
verb trans. Think wrongly of, misjudge. E17-M18.
misweening noun misthinking; misjudgement; mistrust: L15-L16.