ope

American  

[ohp] / oʊp /

adjective

Literary.

oped, oping

1. open.

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ope British  

/ əʊp /

verb

1. an archaic or poetic word for open

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Usage

What does ope mean?  In casual usage, ope is an interjection used to express surprise or to alert someone, as in Ope, didn’t mean to bump into you!The word ope is considered a Midwestern slang term that’s closely related to oops or whoops. Spill some coffee on your shirt? Ope! You’re going to have to change shirts. Drop something while you’re cooking? Ope! Can’t eat that. Bump into someone on the subway? Ope! My bad! Even though ope is known as Midwestern slang, usage has spread to other parts of the country as well. Ope is also an archaic word meaning “open” and was especially used in poetry and other literature. For example, it appears in William Shakespeare’s play The Life and Death of King John. In Act II, a citizen says to King John, “The mouth of passage shall we fling wide ope, / And give you entrance.” Today, this use of ope is rare. Example: Ope, let me scooch right by ya real quick!

Example Sentences

Researchers measured nine OPE biomarkers in urine samples of pregnant people collected between 2007 and 2020, with most samples obtained during the second and third trimesters.

From Science Daily

Ki’ope Raymond, president of Kilakila ’O Haleakala, said his organization has disagreed in the past that the military should even be on the mountain, but while they are there, they have to increase their vigilance.

From Seattle Times

Asake's music dominated the Afrobeats music scene in 2022 with hit songs such as Sungba, Peace Be Unto You and Omo Ope, amongst others.

From BBC

"Hope is one thing we'll hold on to, hope is all we have," she said.

From BBC

“But no, she came in, hit a home run her first at-bat. I’m like, ‘Ope, she’s good to go.’”

From Los Angeles Times