open up
Britishverb
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(intr) to start firing a gun or guns
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(intr) to speak freely or without restraint
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informal (intr) (of a motor vehicle) to accelerate
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(tr) to render accessible
the motorway opened up the remoter areas
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to make or become more exciting or lively
the game opened up after half-time
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Spread out, unfold, as in A green valley opened up before us . [Early 1800s]
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Begin operation, as in The new store opens up next month . [Late 1700s]
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Begin firing, begin attacking, as in The artillery opened up at dawn , or, figuratively, The speaker opened up fiercely on the opposition . [1930s] Also see open fire .
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Speak freely and candidly, as in At last the witness opened up and told what happened . “ Colloquial ; c. 1920]
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Make an opening by cutting, as in The surgeon opened up the patient's chest .
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Become available or accessible, as in With new markets opening up all the time we hope to see our revenues increase dramatically . [Mid-1800s]
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Increase the speed of a vehicle, as in Let's see how fast the car will go if you open it up . [ Colloquial ; c. 1920]
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Open the door, let me (or us) in, as in Open up! This is the police . [Mid-1900s] Note that in all of these usages except def. 4 and 7, up serves as an intensifier, that is, it emphasizes the verb open .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It left out many possible, immediate ways to open up more housing stock for younger buyers seeking starter homes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
In keeping with the couple’s emphasis on indoor/outdoor living, the property features multiple French doors that open up directly to the yard, along with several balconies.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Boreal forests are also supposed to burn on an infrequent basis, in order to open up certain pine cones and spread their seeds, or to clear out lower tree branches.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
The company plans to open up to 370 new restaurants globally this year, including new outlets in Singapore and South Korea.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
I keep the knife in one hand and with the other I open up the rucksack and fish out the book.
From "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
