'opening' definitions:

First or beginning; "the memorable opening bars of Beethoven's Fifth"; "the play's opening scene" [ant: closing]

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: opening, gap]

A ceremony accompanying the start of some enterprise

Becoming open or being made open; "the opening of his arms was the sign I was waiting for"

The first performance (as of a theatrical production); "the opening received good critical reviews" [syn: opening, opening night, curtain raising]

The act of opening something; "the ray of light revealed his cautious opening of the door" [ant: closing, shutting]

Opportunity especially for employment or promotion; "there is an opening in the sales department"

The initial part of the introduction; "the opening established the basic theme"

A possible alternative; "bankruptcy is always a possibility" [syn: possibility, possible action, opening]

An aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity; "the orifice into the aorta from the lower left chamber of the heart" [syn: orifice, opening, porta]

A vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made; "they left a small opening for the cat at the bottom of the door"

An entrance equipped with a hatch; especially a passageway between decks of a ship [syn: hatchway, opening, scuttle]

A recognized sequence of moves at the beginning of a game of chess; "he memorized all the important chess openings" [syn: opening, chess opening]

The first of a series of actions [syn: first step, initiative, opening move, opening]