open housen.adj.
/ˌəʊp(ə)n ˈhaʊs/, U.S. /ˌoʊp(ə)n ˈhaʊs/ A. n.
1. A house in which visitors are welcome; (hence) hospitality to all visitors; a ready welcome. Chiefly in to keep (also hold) (an) open house: to provide hospitality to all comers.In quot. 1637: a brothel.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > social event > hospitality > show hospitality [verb (intransitive)] > liberal
to hold or keep householdc1425
to keep open door(s)1526
to keep (also hold) (an) open house1530
to keep house1530
society > leisure > social event > hospitality > [noun] > liberal
open householdc1450
housekeeping1538
open table1602
open house1824
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 597/1 The kyng is determyned to kepe house or open house this Christemas.
1543 ( Chron. J. Hardyng (1812) 128 (MED) Nine yere he helde his throne riall in Fraunce, And open hous, greately magnified Through all the world.
1612 B. Jonson Alchemist v. i. sig. L2 'Pray God he ha' not kept such open house, That he hath sold my hangings, and my bedding. View more context for this quotation
1637 T. Nabbes Microcosmus v. l. 65 [I]..have been a Lady of pleasure, and kept an open house where Lords tooke me up at high rates.
1675 W. Wycherley Country-wife i. 12 ‘And your Hospitality is great there.’ ‘Open house, every Man's welcome.’
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 269. ¶8 Sir Roger..always keeps open-House at Christmas.
1819 W. Wordsworth Waggoner i. 6 Some shining notice..Of open house and ready fare.
1824 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto XVI lxviii. 98 Though not exactly what's called ‘open house’.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. iii. 366 The King kept open house every day, and all day long, for the good society of London.
1937 Amer. Home Apr. 82/4 Christmas Eve, too, brings guests, for that is the night when all Beacon Hill holds open house for its friends.
1988 R. Christiansen Romantic Affinities iii. 105 The open house he kept for his authors provided many with means to..first-hand education.
2002 Daily Tel. (Sydney) (Nexis) 16 Sept. (Features) 55 Open house was the order of the day for two neighbouring families in Manly during World War II... It meant that many handsome young Scottish and English members of the Royal Air Force were calling by.
2.
a. An occasion when such hospitality is provided, often over an extended period during which guests may arrive and leave as it suits them.
ΚΠ
c1775 E. Burke Speech in Wks. (1812) V. 379 If every three years the exhausting sluices of entertainments, drinkings, open houses..are to be periodically drawn up and renewed..I see that private fortunes will be washed away.
1800 M. Edgeworth Castle Rackrent 12 The cellars were never filled after his death—and no open house, or any thing as it used to be.
1991 A. A. Aidoo Changes xv. 119 On the New Year's Day they had an open house... There would be kola, fried meat, gravy and rice. And lots of fruits, for themselves and any friends that cared to drop in.
b. Originally and chiefly North American. An occasion when an organization, school, company, etc., brings its services, products, etc., to public notice; an open day.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > social event > visit > visiting > [noun] > visiting time or day
visiting-day1709
visiting hours1851
guest-night1885
open house1932
open day1941
1921 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 23 Oct. 15/1 Victoria's three great laundries will hold ‘open house’ daily from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.]
1932 Bull. Dept. Elem. School Principals 11 377 Open house makes it possible for teachers..to display pupils' work and show presentday methods of teaching.
1941 D. G. Stout Teacher & Community vi. 122 Open House may be announced for afternoon and night, during which time patrons may come at their own convenience to meet school staff and inspect the pupils' work.
1979 Whig-Standard (Kingston, Ont.) 26 Apr. 14/3 This is also a rare fish, although one was also caught and put on display at the [aquarium] open house last year.
1995 Hanover (Ont.) Post 18 July a2/4 The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority..is committed to trying to have its experts available for open houses.
3. Originally U.S. An occasion when a house or other dwelling that is offered for sale is publicly displayed to prospective buyers. Also: a dwelling that is on display in this manner.
ΚΠ
1937 N.Y. Times 6 June vi. 11 (advt.) Open house Sunday, June 6, 3–7 P.M. 1,204 Enfield St., Thompsonville, Conn. Old homestead, 12 rooms, all modern, [etc.].
1982 Econ. Geogr. 58 387/2 Have they already selected a destination area at the time they meet the real estate agent? What is the influence of open houses?
1999 EuroBusiness Sept. 106/1 My apartment had become a tourist attraction. For weeks I had been trying to unload my one-bedroom without even a nibble, but that afternoon's open house drew sixty-five alleged house hunters.
B. adj.
Usually in form open-house. Characterized by, of the nature of, or for the purpose of general hospitality.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > social event > hospitality > [adjective] > hospitable
harborous1526
hospitable1570
hospital1570
harboursome1584
hospitalious1596
hospitious?1611
entertaining1640
xenodochial1716
open-housed1804
open house1836
open-doored1842
1836 T. Power Impressions of Amer. II. 71 Mr. Oliver was one of a class of excellent open-house men, of which class there are specimens to be found in every part of this Union.
a1854 E. Grant Mem. Highland Lady (1988) II. xxiv At that season of the year old Miss Lawrence lived nearly alone; her open house style ended with the autumn.
1907 Westm. Gaz. 30 Dec. 8/1 On the seventieth anniversary there was an ‘open-house’ reception.
1971 Daily Tel. 11 Oct. 15/2 Clarksons has an ‘open house’ hospitality suite at the Majestic where free liquor is flowing almost round the clock.
1992 N. Barber Other Side of Paradise (BNC) 93 Paula always held open-house cocktail parties on Tuesdays and Fridays.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1530