so they are getting a divorce./
[open-minded]{adj.} Having no dogmatic or biased views on matters oftheory, religion, politics, etc. •/Fred is easy to talk to about anything; heis a highly intelligent and open-minded person./
[open one’s eyes] or [open up one’s eyes]{v. phr.} To make aperson see or understand the truth; make a person realize; tell a person whatis really happening or what really exists. •/Mary didn’t believe that hercousin could be mean until the cousin opened Mary’s eyes by scratching andbiting her./ •/John’s eyes were opened up to the world of nature when hevisited his grandfather’s farm./ Compare: EYES OPEN, WISE UP. — [eyeopener]{n.} Something that makes you understand the truth. •/Pam’sfirst visit to school was a real eye-opener./
[open one’s heart]{v. phr.} 1. To talk about your feelings honestly;confide in someone. •/After going around worrying, Mary opened her heart toher mother./ •/John felt much better after he opened his heart to Betty./2. To be sympathetic to; give love or help generously. •/Mrs. Smith openedher heart to the poor little boy./ •/After the moving speech by the UNofficial, the people opened their hearts to the poor people of India./Compare: OPEN HEART, WEAR ONE’S HEART ON ONE’S SLEEVE.
[open onto]{v. phr.} To have a view of. •/Our apartment in Chicagohas a set of windows that open onto Lake Michigan./
[open Pandora’s box] See: PANDORA’S BOX.
[open question]{n. phr.} A debatable issue. •/Whether assistedsuicide is legal and moral or not is still an open question, recent publicityon the matter notwithstanding./
[open secret]{n.} Something that is supposed to be a secret but thateveryone knows. •/It is an open secret that Mary and John are engaged./•/Who will be appointed as the next president of the college is an opensecret./
[open sesame]{n. phr.}, {literary} Immediate means of entrance, orunobstructed access to something. •/Tom mistakenly believed that his wealthwould be an open sesame to the world of creative arts./
[open shop]{n. phr.} A factory or firm that employs both union andnon-union labor. •/The firm refuses to adopt an open shop policy./Contrast: CLOSED SHOP.
[open the door]{v. phr.} To allow more action or discussion; give achance. •/Learning to read and write opens the door to a better job andbetter living conditions./ •/Raising the tax rates will open the door tomore help for older people./ Contrast: CLOSE THE DOOR. Compare: OPEN ITSDOORS.
[open the floodgates]{v. phr.} To let loose an outburst of humanactivity or emotion. •/It would open the floodgates of anger and discontentif the university raised tuition too soon./
[open up]{v.} 1. To show for the first time; make clear; reveal.•/The story of Helen Keller’s life opened up a whole new world to Mary./•/Einstein’s theories opened up a whole new area for study./ 2. To makeavailable; present an opportunity; offer. •/The building of the railroadopened up new lands to the pioneers./ •/John opened up a whole new sectionof the Scrabble board./ 3. {informal} To go faster. •/When they got outon the highway John opened up and drove at 65 miles per hour./ 4.{informal} To begin to shoot. •/When they got close to the enemy lines,they opened up with all they had./ 5. {informal} To begin to talkfrankly. •/After John learned to trust Mr. Jones, he opened up and told himhow he felt./ 6. To spread out. •/After a while the road opened up and theytraveled more quickly./ 7. To become available. •/When she got her collegediploma, many new jobs opened up./
[open up one’s eyes] See: OPEN ONE’S EYES.
[opinion] See: MATTER OP OPINION.
[opposite number]{n. phr.} A person occupying the same position assomeone in a different group, organization, or country. •/The opposite numberof the President of the United States in Germany is the Chancellor of theFederal Republic./
[opposite sex]{n. phr.} The sex different from the one being discussedor mentioned. •/Fred came out and said he was gay, having never had anyinterest in the opposite sex./
[optional origin]{n.} Stipulation in international commoditiescontract whereby the seller may ship from either his foreign or his domesticresources. •/Be sure to enter that in the books as an optional originorder./
[orbit] See: GO INTO ORBIT.
[order] See: APPLE-PIE-ORDER, CALL TO ORDER, IN ORDER, IN ORDER TO, INSHORT ORDER, JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED, MADE TO ORDER, OUT OF ORDER, PUTONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER or SET ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER, SHORT ORDER COOK, TO ORDER,WALKING PAPERS or WALKING ORDERS.
[order about] or [around]{v. phr.} To dictate arrogantly tosomeone; domineer. •/Dan orders his younger colleagues around in a mostunpleasant way./
[ordinary] See: OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
[or other]{adv.} — Used to emphasize indefinite words or phrasesbeginning with "some" (as "someone", "something", "somewhere", "somehow","sometime"). •/Somehow or other, Linda managed to get to the show on time./•/I’ll think of something or other for the program./ •/She found abeautiful cup and saucer somewhere or other./ •/I’ll get around to cleaningthe closets sometime or other./ •/Someone or other will take the letters tothe post office./
[or so]{adv.} About; or a little more. •/Mr. Brown will be back in aday or so./ •/The book cost $5 or so./ •/There will be twenty or sopeople at the party./ Compare: MORE OR LESS.
[other] See: EACH OTHER, EVERY OTHER, GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHERSIDE OF THE FENCE or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL, GOIN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE’S MOUTH or LAUGHON THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE’S MOUTH, ON THE OTHER HAND, OR OTHER, SHOE ON THEOTHER FOOT, SIX OF ONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER, THIS AND THAT also THIS,THAT, AND THE OTHER, TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.
[other fish to fry]{n. phr.}, {informal} Other things to do; otherplans. •/They wanted John to be the secretary, but he had other fish tofry./ •/Mary was invited to the party but she refused because she had otherfish to fry./
[other side of the tracks] See: WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS.
[out and about] See: UP AND ABOUT.
[out-and-out]{adj.} Extreme; complete; thorough. •/The candidate wasan out-and-out conservative./ •/It was out-and-out robbery to charge twicethe usual price for eggs just because they were scarce./ Compare: THROUGH ANDTHROUGH.
[out at the elbows]{adj. phr.} Poorly or shabbily dressed. •/Roywalks around out at the elbows, but it’s not because he is penniless, but morein imitation of a certain style./
[out back]{adv. phr.} In one’s backyard. •/On the Fourth of Julythey were out back making preparations for their holiday barbecue./
[outback]{n.} 1. The remote and uncultivated wilderness areas ofAustralia or New Zealand, with very few inhabitants. •/Mike and Barbararoughed it in the Australian outback for nearly two years./ 2. Any remote,sparsely populated region. •/Tom’s old ranch in Texas is next to an aridoutback./
[out cold]{adv.} or {adj.}, {informal} Unconscious; in afaint. •/The ball hit Dick in the head and knocked him out cold for tenminutes./ •/They tried to lift Mary when she fell down, but she was outcold./ Syn.: OUT LIKE A LIGHT(2). Compare: PASS OUT.
[outer space]{n.} What is outside of the earth’s air. •/An astronautcannot live without oxygen when he goes into outer space./
[out for]{prep.} Joining, or planning to join; taking part in;competing for a place in. •/John is out for the basketball team./ •/Maryis going out for the school newspaper./ Compare: TRY OUT.
[out from under]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Free from something thatworries you; seeing the end; finished. — Usually used with "be" or "get".•/Mary had so much to do in the new house she felt as though she would neverbe out from under./ •/John had so many debts, he couldn’t get out fromunder./
[out in force]{adv. phr.} Present in very large numbers; en masse.•/On the Fourth of July the police cars are out in force in the Chicagoarea./
[out in left field]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Far from the rightanswer; wrong; astray. •/Johnny tried to answer the teacher’s question but hewas way out in left field./ •/Susan tried to guess what the surprise wasbut she was way out in left field./ 2. Speaking or acting very queerly;crazy. •/The girl next door was always queer, but after her father died, shewas really out in left field and had to go to a hospital./ Compare: OUT OFONE’S HEAD.
[out in the cold]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Alone; not included.•/All the other children were chosen for parts in the play, but Johnny wasleft out in the cold./ •/Everybody made plans for Christmas Day and Maryfound herself out in the cold./ Compare: HIGH AND DRY.
[out in the open] See: COME OUT IN THE OPEN.
[out like a light]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Fast asleep; to sleepvery quickly. •/Tom got so much fresh air and exercise that he went out like