| 释义 |
▪ I. opening, vbl. n.|ˈəʊpnɪŋ, ˈəʊp(ə)nɪŋ|
[f. open v. + -ing1.]
1. a. The action of the verb open in various senses; making free of passage, drawing apart, unclosing, unfolding, uncovering, disclosing to the view, etc. Also with adv. as opening out, opening up.
c1175Lamb. Hom 49 Þurh heorte bireusunke þurh muðes openunge. a1225Ancr. R. 60 Þu schalt ȝelden þet best vor þe puttes openunge. c1380Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 8 In openyng of hevene ȝatis. 1486Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 13 The..openyng and newe leying of old Ropes. 1530Tindale Answ. More Wks. 252/1 If stories be true, wemen haue preached sence the openyng of y⊇ new Testament. 1543Bale Course Rom. Fox title-p., A dysclosynge or openynge of the manne of synne. 1611Bible Transl. Pref. 2 If it pertaine..to the opening and clearing of the word of God. 1706Phillips, Opening of Trenches,..the first breaking of Ground made by the Besiegers, in order to carry their Approaches to the place besieged. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. v. §1 We heard a confused noise of the opening of hounds, the winding of horns, and the roaring of country squires. 1850Clough Dipsychus ii. v. 43 A painful opening out Of paths for ampler virtue. 1887Spectator 4 June 759/1 The opening-up of a market almost as great as India itself.
b. An action of the bowels.
1799M. Underwood Treat. Dis. Childr. III. 192 They should..not [be] suffered to play until they have had an opening.
c. Cotton Manuf. (See quots.)
1888C. P. Brooks Cotton Manuf. i. 17 Opening or passing the matted pieces of the bales through a series of armed beaters..separating the material into small flakes and removing the heavier impurities. 1901T. Thornley Cotton Spinning I. iii. 64 Q. Give a statement of the objects aimed at in the operation of opening... A. This process first opens out the matted masses of fibres to a very fleecy, soft condition; secondly, it extracts the major portion of the impurities present in the cotton..and also much seed that has escaped the ginning process; thirdly it almost now always makes a lap. 1963A. F. W. Coulson et al. Man. Cotton Spinning II. ii. vi. 129 Better opening and cleaning will be obtained if the machines can be kept working and operating on the cotton continuously in a rather small quantity.
2. a. A vacant space between portions of solid matter; a gap, hole, or passage; an aperture. In local use: = open n. 1 b.
a1225Ancr. R. 276 Mon, þi flesch, hwat frut bereð hit, in all his openunges? 1382Wyclif Amos iv. 3 By opnyngis ȝe shuln go out. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. i. (MS. Bodl.) lf. 240/1 Þe openynge of þe owle [iȝe] is meche: and þe openynge of þe Egle iȝe is litel. 1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 51 A..hood which covers the face, saving the eyes; for whose use there is an opening. 1725De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 261 Climbing up the rocks in the opening on the right hand. 1769Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Opening, a passage, or streight, between two adjacent coasts or islands. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) I. 159 The blood..goes through the heart, by an opening called the foramen ovale. 1858Lardner Hand-bk. Nat. Phil., Hydrost., etc. 141 This lateral circular opening is surrounded by a horizontal wheel.
b. A bay, gulf or other more or less wide indentation of the land.
1719De Foe Crusoe ii. iv, Entering that opening of the sea. 1725Pope Odyss. ii. 440 Full in the openings of the spacious main It [a vessel] rides. 1796–7H. Hunter tr. St. Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) I. 159 These bays, or openings, are formed in the ice, merely by the influence of the nearest adjacent lands.
c. The width of an arch between its pillars.
1739C. Labelye Short Acc. Piers Westm. Bridge 44 The lower an Arch is, in proportion to its Opening. 1881Raymond Mining Gloss., Openings, the parts of coal mines between the pillars, or the pillars and ribs.
d. Two pages of a book, etc., that face one another.
1906E. Johnston Writing & Illuminating vi. 110 Parchment sheets should have their smooth sides so placed together that each ‘opening’ of the book has both its pages rough or both smooth. 1914Trans. Bibliogr. Soc. XII. 239 A line of type at the top of a page, above the text, is called a ‘head-line’; or, if it consists of the title of the book (or of the section of the book) on every page or every ‘opening’ (i.e., two pages facing one another), sometimes a ‘running-title’ or ‘running-head’. 1963Listener 21 Mar. 522/1 A good example of his elaborate book-production is The Book of Ruth, with alternate openings in full colour and in golds and greys.
3. U.S. A tract of ground over which trees are wanting or thinly scattered in comparison with adjoining forest tracts. Cf. oak-opening s.v. oak n. 8.
1704Providence R.I. Records (1893) IV. 178 On the south side of the place in the swamp..which is called the first opening. 1745P. Thomas Jrnl. Anson's Voy. 35 Hills..covered with..Groves of Trees, interspersed with many Openings and ever-green Valleys. 1824Longfellow April Day iv, The forest openings. 1839Marryat Diary Amer. Ser. i. II. 46 The term used here to distinguish this variety of timber land from the impervious woods is oak openings. 1851Mayne Reid Scalp Hunt. xxxii, We debouched through the mountain pass into a country of ‘openings’.
4. a. The action of beginning, starting or setting on foot; the first steps or commencement; the part, act, words, etc., with which anything opens; the initial steps or stage in a course of action.
1712Addison Spect. No. 412 ⁋3 In the opening of the Spring. 1782F. Burney Cecilia vi. iv, She came running into Cecilia's room, saying she had very good news for her, ‘A charming opening!’ cried Cecilia, ‘pray tell it me.’ 1789Gouv. Morris in Sparks Life & Writ. (1832) I. 306 At the opening of the States-General. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 509 The days which..preceded the opening of the session. 1887Grove's Dict. Mus. IV. 415 The opening of the opera was originally intended to be quite different from what it is now. Mod. The King's Speech at the opening of Parliament.
b. spec. The statement of the case made by counsel to a court of law preliminary to adducing evidence.
1660Trial Regic. 77 [We] cannot hear you to speak that upon your opening which is treason. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) VI. 132 Lord Chief Justice Eyre said, it was manifest from the opening, that it was intended to be insisted on, that..Sir T. C. lost his old estate. 1881Spectator 30 Apr. 573 Like the opening of an advocate who has not mastered his brief.
c. The introductory or burlesque part of a pantomime preceding the harlequinade.
The two portions of the pantomime were not separated before the year 1800.
1825P. Egan Life of Actor vii. 264 To get up splendid Spectacles; write openings for Pantomimes. 1838Mem. Grimaldi II. xxii, He played Fribble in the opening, and afterwards the Lover. 1859Illustr. Lond. News 8 Jan. 34/1 The introduction or opening, which, but for the comic masks, differs little from the burlesque or extravaganza. 1894J. A. Cave Jubilee Dramatic Life (ed. 2) xix. 177 For the openings of my pantomimes I was able, as opportunity occurred, to secure the services of such inimitable burlesque performers as the Vokes family.
d. Chess. A mode of beginning a game; spec. a definite sequence of moves for the purpose of establishing a line of defence or attack.
1735Bertin Chess iv, Particular instructions..how the player may make the proper openings, to attack, or defend. 1871M. Collins Mrq. & Merch. III. iv. 120 She remembered it was an evening for chess, and wondered what opening Miss Griffin would choose. 1889Chambers's Encycl. 166 All openings of repute have distinctive titles, often being named after their inventors.
e. Theatr. The first performance of a play or entertainment; a première. U.S.
1855W. B. Wood Pers. Recoll. Stage ix. 191 The loss we sustained was less important in a pecuniary view..than in rendering our opening still more embarrassing. 1916Variety 27 Oct. 12/1 Openings here next week include Marie Tempest in ‘A Lady's Name’ (Plymouth); ‘Sybil’ (Colonial); [etc.]. 1923H. Ruby Let. 16 Aug. in G. Marx Groucho Lett. (1967) 183 The out-of-town opening..occurred in Fairmont, West Virginia. 1959J. Thurber Years with Ross xv. 247 I'm having dinner with Aleck and he's taking me to an opening. 1977J. Aiken Last Movement i. 37 ‘What about your opening?’..‘Big success. I'll show you our press notices.’
f. The start of an art exhibition, fashion show, or the like.
1905E. Wharton House of Mirth ii. ix. 428 Beings without definite pursuits of permanent relations, who drifted on a languid tide of curiosity from restaurant to concert-hall, from palm-garden to music-room, from ‘art exhibit’ to dress-maker's opening. 1952D. Ames Murder, Maestro, Please xxxv. 255 Geoffrey insists on taking me to Paris for the autumn dress openings. 1969D. S. Davis Where Dark Streets Go (1970) ix. 89 There was a showing of Tchelitchew drawings at the Burns Gallery... ‘Not everybody who goes to an opening signs in. Especially when it's not new work.’ 1972P. Marks Collector's Choice ii. 62 He never went to museums except for openings.
5. An opportunity; a circumstance or combination of circumstances which offers a chance of advantage, success or gratification; a vacant place in connexion with any business or profession, which admits of being occupied.
1793Burke Lett., to Sir G. Elliot Corr. 1844 IV. 153 Here is an opening which, if neglected by our government,..they will one day sorely repent. 1855Fitzjames Stephen in Cambr. Ess. 178 She might have made him miss one or two openings in life. 1889Ruskin Præterita III. ii. 69 D'Israeli saw his opening in an instant. 1898Times 17 Oct., In his early years of promise in the tennis court L― relied mainly on his wonderful return, his accuracy for the openings, and his activity.
6. Comb. opening-machine, any machine for opening; spec. = opener 2; opening night, the first night of a theatrical play, entertainment, etc.; opening-time, (a) the time at which a place, esp. a public house, is opened; (b) the time that a device takes to open.
1875Knight Dict. Mech. 1561/2. *Opening-machine.
c1814(play-title) The *opening night; or, the manager hoax'd. 1828J. Ebers Seven Yrs. King's Theatre 210 The interest felt by the public in the arrival of the gran maestro, on the opening night. 1929Opening night [see doodah 1]. 1975P. G. Winslow Death of Angel 9 The milkman finds a body dressed up for opening night.
1927D. L. Sayers Unnatural Death xii. 136 Within, a cheerful bustle in the bar announced the near arrival of *opening time. 1943Gloss. Terms Electr. Engin. (B.S.I.) 66 Opening time, applied to a circuit-breaker: the time interval from the instant of application of the tripping power when in the closed position to the instant of separation of the arcing contacts. 1971‘H. Calvin’ Poison Chasers i. 7 We got back around opening time... I said to Dai, ‘I'll get drinks while you're telephoning.’
Senses 1 b–c in Dict. become 1 c–d. Add: [1.] b. spec. in Quaker use, a divine disclosure or revelation; an intuitive insight (into the nature of God, etc.).
c1675G. Fox Jrnl. (1952) i. 11 After I had received that opening from the Lord that to be bred at Oxford or Cambridge was not sufficient to fit a man to be a Minister of Christ, I regarded the priests less, and looked more after the dissenting people. 1786J. Scott Jrnl. (1798) 130 The Lord my gracious Preserver..is learning me to depend on and attend to his shuttings as well as his openings. 1855Friends' Intelligencer (Philadelphia) XII. 113/2 It was as though it had been spoken to me, ‘If I restore thee, go to Pennsylvania’. To which, the answer of my soul was,—Wherever thou pleasest. This opening appeared strange to me at that time. 1947Friends' Q. Jan. 9 The Puritans..distrusted the ‘openings’ and the ‘experiences’ by which the Quaker claimed to receive revelation. 1975R. Hetherington Sense of Glory vi. 64 The Society of Friends has never had a priesthood. Instead, they have put the ‘openings’ of individuals within the context of the group.
▪ II. opening, ppl. a.|ˈəʊpnɪŋ, ˈəʊp(ə)nɪŋ|
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
That opens.
1. a. That renders open; spec. that opens the bowels or other bodily passages; aperient.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vii. lxx. (MS. Bodl.) lf. 74/2 Openyng medicyn..openeth weyes that beþ stopped and makeþ þynne humours þat be cleymye þikke. 1620Venner Via Recta vi. 94 Vinegar that is made of White-wine, is more opening, and that which is made of Claret, more binding. 1727Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Almond, Bitter-Almonds are of an opening and detersive nature. 1783[see Cheltenham 1]. 1804Abernethy Surg. Obs. 192 She took some gentle opening medicine. 1912More Secret Remedies (B.M.A.) x. 157 Do the bowels act regularly without opening medicine? 1965A. Nicol Truly Married Woman 72 Magnesium sulphate for opening-medicine.
b. That opens, or forms the commencement of, a discourse, entertainment, or proceeding; initial; introductory. (The opposite of closing ppl. a. b.) Esp. in Cricket, designating or pertaining to the batsmen who open the innings, or the bowlers who open the attack.
1851Willmott Pleas. Lit. iv. (1857) 15 It contained the opening letter of Junius. 1882Daily Tel. 4 May, It was the opening day of the exhibition. a1902Mod. His opening remarks were eagerly listened to. The opening event was won by the Dark Blues. 1929P. G. H. Fender Turn of Wheel iii. 92 Hendry..had a habit of..retreating when facing Larwood, and that would never do, especially in an opening batsman. 1952J. H. Morgan Glamorgan County Cricket facing p. 64 (caption) Arnold Dyston, a stylish opening bat. 1955A. E. R. Gilligan Urn Returns 36 The pace attack of Statham and Tyson keeps Rutherford and Sawle, the opening pair, strictly on the defensive. 1971Times 15 Feb. 8/2 Their opening partnerships for the seven Test matches have averaged as much as 75. 1976J. Snow Cricket Rebel 25 Tony Buss, his opening partner, was far more dangerous to face than he looked from the ringside. 1977Times 29 Nov. 12/5 Geoffrey Arnold's two for 95 were the best figures by a recognized opening bowler in three Tests.
2. That becomes open; unclosing, unfolding, expanding, widening out, developing, beginning, giving tongue, etc.: see the verb.
1637Milton Lycidas 26 The opening eyelids of the morn. 1667― P.L. xi. 277 From the first op'ning bud. 1702Rowe Tamerl. i. i. 108 Watchful they stood expecting op'ning day. 1754J. Love Cricket (1770) 5 The Ball, close cushion'd, slides askew, And to the op'ning Pocket runs, a Cou. 1805Z. Allnutt Navig. Thames 23 A Plan of an opening Weir across the Thames. 1810Scott Lady of L. i. iii, Yelled on the view the opening pack. An hundred dogs bayed deep and strong. 1872W. R. Greg Enigmas Life v. (1882) 184 To the opening mind..it [Life] seems like a delicious feast.
3. Comb., as opening-bit, a tapering tool for widening an aperture; a broach or reamer.
1875Knight Dict. Mech. 1561.
▸ opening credits n. a list or sequence of credits shown at the beginning of a film or television programme, typically identifying only the most prominent people involved in the production; (also) the part of a film or programme during which these appear; cf. credit n. 13d.
1931Los Angeles Times 12 Oct. i. 9/2 Instead of the usual *opening credits on the new film.., studio executives should have used the following: ‘Columbia Presents Jack Holt's Standing Story With a New Locale.’ 1952Dixon (Illinois) Evening Tel. 29 Apr. 4/2 Ricky and David Nelson..are billed this way in UI's opening credits for their movie. 2003Echoes July 49/2 As the opening credits start to roll, a man with some form of jerri curl wig dances around drunkenly but in complete seriousness in what looks like his pyjamas.
▸ opening day n. the first day of an event or season; the first day of operation or business.
1798Times 11 Dec. 3/2 The agreement between the parties was, that Mr. Kentish should have this stock on his undertaking, and also on his surety undertaking, that it should be replaced on the first *opening day. 1899Steubenville (Ohio) Herald-Star 27 Apr. 8 (advt.) Come and visit us on opening day. You will find our store well worth a visit. 2002Field & Stream Oct. 40/1 This waning season has none of the raucous camaraderie of opening day. It's always been an especially good time to fish alone. |