opening
adj : first or beginning; "the memorable opening bars of
Beethoven's Fifth"; "the play's opening scene" [ant: {closing}]
n 1: an open or empty space in or between things; "there was a
small opening between the trees"; "the explosion made a
gap in the wall" [syn: {gap}]
2: a ceremony accompanying the start of some enterprise
3: becoming open or being made open; "the opening of his arms
was the sign I was waiting for"
4: the first performance (as of a theatrical production); "the
opening received good critical reviews" [syn: {opening
night}, {curtain raising}]
5: the act of opening something; "the ray of light revealed his
cautious opening of the door" [ant: {shutting}]
6: opportunity especially for employment or promotion; "there
is an opening in the sales department"
7: the initial part of the introduction; "the opening
established the basic theme"
8: a possible alternative; "bankruptcy is always a possibility"
[syn: {possibility}, {possible action}]
9: an aperture or hole opening into a bodily cavity; "the
orifice into the aorta from the lower left chamber of the
heart" [syn: {orifice}]
10: a vacant or unobstructed space; "they left a small opening
for the cat at the bottom of the door"
11: an entrance equipped with a hatch; especially a passageway
between decks of a ship [syn: {hatchway}, {scuttle}]
12: the first of a series of actions; "he memorized all the
important chess openings" [syn: {first step}, {initiative},
{opening move}]