3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Opening  \O"pen*ing\,  n. 
  1.  The  act  or  process  of  opening;  a  beginning;  commencement; 
  first  appearance;  as  the  opening  of  a  speech. 
 
  The  opening  of  your  glory  was  like  that  of  light. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  A  place  which  is  open  a  breach;  an  aperture;  a  gap; 
  cleft,  or  hole. 
 
  We  saw  him  at  the  opening  of  his  tent.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  Hence:  A  vacant  place  an  opportunity;  as  an  opening  for 
  business.  [Colloq.]  --Dickens. 
 
  4.  A  thinly  wooded  space,  without  undergrowth,  in  the  midst 
  of  a  forest;  as  oak  openings.  [U.S.]  --Cooper. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Open  \O"pen\  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Opened};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Opening}.]  [AS.  openian  See  {Open},a.] 
  1.  To  make  or  set  open  to  render  free  of  access  to  unclose; 
  to  unbar;  to  unlock;  to  remove  any  fastening  or  covering 
  from  as  to  open  a  door;  to  open  a  box;  to  open  a  room 
  to  open  a  letter. 
 
  And  all  the  windows  of  my  heart  I  open  to  the  day 
  --Whittier. 
 
  2.  To  spread;  to  expand;  as  to  open  the  hand. 
 
  3.  To  disclose;  to  reveal;  to  interpret;  to  explain. 
 
  The  king  opened  himself  to  some  of  his  council,  that 
  he  was  sorry  for  the  earl's  death.  --Bacon. 
 
  Unto  thee  have  I  opened  my  cause  --Jer.  xx  12. 
 
  While  he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures.  --Luke  xxiv. 
  32. 
 
  4.  To  make  known  to  discover;  also  to  render  available  or 
  accessible  for  settlements,  trade  etc 
 
  The  English  did  adventure  far  for  to  open  the  North 
  parts  of  America.  --Abp.  Abbot. 
 
  5.  To  enter  upon  to  begin;  as  to  open  a  discussion;  to  open 
  fire  upon  an  enemy;  to  open  trade  or  correspondence;  to 
  open  a  case  in  court,  or  a  meeting. 
 
  6.  To  loosen  or  make  less  compact;  as  to  open  matted  cotton 
  by  separating  the  fibers. 
 
  {To  open  one's  mouth},  {to  speak}. 
 
  {To  open  up},  to  lay  open  to  discover;  to  disclose. 
 
  Poetry  that  had  opened  up  so  many  delightful  views 
  into  the  character  and  condition  of  our  ``bold 
  peasantry,  their  country's  pride.''  --Prof. 
  Wilson. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  opening 
  adj  :  first  or  beginning;  "the  memorable  opening  bars  of 
  Beethoven's  Fifth";  "the  play's  opening  scene"  [ant:  {closing}] 
  n  1:  an  open  or  empty  space  in  or  between  things  "there  was  a 
  small  opening  between  the  trees";  "the  explosion  made  a 
  gap  in  the  wall"  [syn:  {gap}] 
  2:  a  ceremony  accompanying  the  start  of  some  enterprise 
  3:  becoming  open  or  being  made  open  "the  opening  of  his  arms 
  was  the  sign  I  was  waiting  for" 
  4:  the  first  performance  (as  of  a  theatrical  production);  "the 
  opening  received  good  critical  reviews"  [syn:  {opening 
  night},  {curtain  raising}] 
  5:  the  act  of  opening  something  "the  ray  of  light  revealed  his 
  cautious  opening  of  the  door"  [ant:  {shutting}] 
  6:  opportunity  especially  for  employment  or  promotion;  "there 
  is  an  opening  in  the  sales  department" 
  7:  the  initial  part  of  the  introduction;  "the  opening 
  established  the  basic  theme" 
  8:  a  possible  alternative;  "bankruptcy  is  always  a  possibility" 
  [syn:  {possibility},  {possible  action}] 
  9:  an  aperture  or  hole  opening  into  a  bodily  cavity;  "the 
  orifice  into  the  aorta  from  the  lower  left  chamber  of  the 
  heart"  [syn:  {orifice}] 
  10:  a  vacant  or  unobstructed  space;  "they  left  a  small  opening 
  for  the  cat  at  the  bottom  of  the  door" 
  11:  an  entrance  equipped  with  a  hatch;  especially  a  passageway 
  between  decks  of  a  ship  [syn:  {hatchway},  {scuttle}] 
  12:  the  first  of  a  series  of  actions;  "he  memorized  all  the 
  important  chess  openings"  [syn:  {first  step},  {initiative}, 
  {opening  move}] 

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