Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[open its doors] <v. phr.> 1. To allow someone or something to enter or join; become open. * /That college was started for women only, but a few years ago it opened its doors to men./ 2. To begin doing business; open. * /Proffitts Department Store is having a birthday sale; it first opened its doors fifty years ago this month./ Contrast: CLOSE ITS DOORS.

[open letter] <n. phr.> A public message in the form of a letter addressed to a particular person or to a group. * /There was an open letter to the president of the United States in today's morning paper./

[open market] <n. phr.> Goods or securities available for purchase by all. * /The stocks of certain companies are on the open market./

[open marriage] <n. phr.> An arrangement by mutual agreement between husband and wife whereby they are both allowed to have extramarital affairs. * /Chances are the open marriage arrangement they had didn't work out too well so they are getting a divorce./

[open-minded] <adj.> Having no dogmatic or biased views on matters of theory, religion, politics, etc. * /Fred is easy to talk to about anything; he is a highly intelligent and open-minded person./

[open one's eyes] or [open up one's eyes] <v. phr.> To make a person see or understand the truth; make a person realize; tell a person what is really happening or what really exists. * /Mary didn't believe that her cousin could be mean until the cousin opened Mary's eyes by scratching and biting her./ * /John's eyes were opened up to the world of nature when he visited his grandfather's farm./ Compare: EYES OPEN, WISE UP.
– [eye opener] <n.> Something that makes you understand the truth. * /Pam's first 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 to her mother./ * /John felt much better after he opened his heart to Betty./ 2. To be sympathetic to; give love or help generously. * /Mrs. Smith opened her heart to the poor little boy./ * /After the moving speech by the UN official, 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 Chicago has 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 assisted suicide is legal and moral or not is still an open question, recent publicity on the matter notwithstanding./

[open secret] <n.> Something that is supposed to be a secret but that everyone 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 open secret./

[open sesame] <n. phr.>, <literary> Immediate means of entrance, or unobstructed access to something. * /Tom mistakenly believed that his wealth would be an open sesame to the world of creative arts./

[open shop] <n. phr.> A factory or firm that employs both union and non-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 a chance. * /Learning to read and write opens the door to a better job and better living conditions./ * /Raising the tax rates will open the door to more help for older people./ Contrast: CLOSE THE DOOR. Compare: OPEN ITS DOORS.

[open the floodgates] <v. phr.> To let loose an outburst of human activity or emotion. * /It would open the floodgates of anger and discontent if 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 make available; present an opportunity; offer. * /The building of the railroad opened up new lands to the pioneers./ * /John opened up a whole new section of the Scrabble board./ 3. <informal> To go faster. * /When they got out on 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 talk frankly. * /After John learned to trust Mr. Jones, he opened up and told him how he felt./ 6. To spread out. * /After a while the road opened up and they traveled more quickly./ 7. To become available. * /When she got her college diploma, 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 as someone in a different group, organization, or country. * /The opposite number of the President of the United States in Germany is the Chancellor of the Federal Republic./

[opposite sex] <n. phr.> The sex different from the one being discussed or mentioned. * /Fred came out and said he was gay, having never had any interest in the opposite sex./

[optional origin] <n.> Stipulation in international commodities contract whereby the seller may ship from either his foreign or his domestic resources. * /Be sure to enter that in the books as an optional origin order./

[orbit] See: GO INTO ORBIT.

[order] See: APPLE-PIE-ORDER, CALL TO ORDER, IN ORDER, IN ORDER TO, IN SHORT ORDER, JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED, MADE TO ORDER, OUT OF ORDER, PUT ONE'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 to someone; domineer. * /Dan orders his younger colleagues around in a most unpleasant way./

[ordinary] See: OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

[or other] <adv.> - Used to emphasize indefinite words or phrases beginning 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 a beautiful cup and saucer somewhere or other./ * /I'll get around to cleaning the closets sometime or other./ * /Someone or other will take the letters to the post office./

[or so] <adv.> About; or a little more. * /Mr. Brown will be back in a day or so./ * /The book cost $5 or so./ * /There will be twenty or so people at the party./ Compare: MORE OR LESS.

[other] See: EACH OTHER, EVERY OTHER, GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL, GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE'S MOUTH or LAUGH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE'S MOUTH, ON THE OTHER HAND, OR OTHER, SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT, SIX OF ONE AND HALF-A-DOZEN OF THE OTHER, THIS AND THAT also THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER, TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.