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.
Bond yields surged and stocks slumped early Tuesday after the consumer inflation report for October suggested the Federal Reserve might need to open up the throttle on its inflation fight.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
Robinson, whose organization supports the movement without directing it, sees the scrutiny since the summer as an opportunity to open up rather than retreat, because "people are curious to learn about us now."
From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026
It comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to open up new technical routes from age 14 in England over the summer.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026
Beijing also has financed the construction of a vast overseas network of ports, from Sri Lanka to Israel and Peru that facilitate its globe-spanning trade and open up potential naval access points.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Ms. McCrea spent the whole class period trying to get us to open up about whether we felt the school was a safe and welcoming community.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
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