26984 words

openings

21 definitions • 32 examples
1
a hole or space that something or someone can pass through:

Examples:

The children crawled through an opening in the fence.
2
a ceremony at the beginning of an event or activity:

Examples:

The official opening of the new school will take place next month.
3
the beginning of something:

Examples:

The opening of the novel is amazing.
4
the beginning of a game of chess:

Examples:

If you want to get anywhere in chess, you have to study the various openings.
5
a job or an opportunity to do something:

Examples:

There's an opening for an editorial assistant in our department.
6
happening at the beginning of an event or activity:

Examples:

the opening night
7
the first act (= a person or group that performs a short piece in a show):

Examples:

The fans are there to see the headliner. They don't want to see an opening act.
The music should have been louder, but it was an interesting opening act nonetheless.
8
something that happens before something else and gives an idea of what it might be like:

Examples:

Tanks were ordered into the capital as the opening act in a halfhearted coup attempt.
This week was the opening act, but the real drama is yet to unfold.
9
the first time a continuing event is officially ready for the public:

Examples:

A huge crowd turned out for the opening of the new show.
10
the beginning of something:

Examples:

The opening of the symphony is by far the best part.
11
a hole or space:

Examples:

The children crawled through an opening in the fence.
12
an available position or job:

Examples:

I hear you have an opening in sales.
13
an occasion when a new store, restaurant, etc. starts doing business:

Examples:

A week after the opening of the restaurant, cars were queueing up all along the street.
Pre-tax profits rose, with new store openings running, on average, at three a month.
14
the amount of time that a store, restaurant, etc. is open:

Examples:

One worker at the store criticized the problems caused by 24-hour opening.
Our hours of opening are 8am to 6pm.
Most stores have late opening in the run-up to Christmas.
15
a job that is available:

Examples:

an opening for sth They have openings for carpenters and electricians.
The company has about 50 job openings.
16
the opportunity to do something:

Examples:

The failure of this project has left an opening in the market.
17
the beginning of business for the day on a stock market, or the level of prices at the beginning of its business day:

Examples:

18
a situation in which a country allows more foreign trade and investment than it did before:

Examples:

opening to sth Since China's opening to the outside world in 1978, the market economy system has been almost entirely established.
opening of sth It is hoped that the agreement will pave the way for an opening of American borders.
19
a situation in which a country makes jobs, markets, etc. available to more people than before:

Examples:

the opening of sth Because of the opening of electric power markets in the US, many new opportunities presented themselves closer to home.
20
coming near the beginning of a speech, event, activity, etc.:

Examples:

21
coming at the beginning of business for the day on a stock market:

Examples:

The Dow Jones quickly turned an opening 53-point rise into a 162-point loss.

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