1. Home
2. Idioms
3. opening

opening

---

---

the opening of an envelope

Any event, celebration, or ceremony, no matter how trivial or unremarkable, that one attends purely for the sake of visibility. Often said in relation to celebrities or media personalities who make a point of attending anything that will give them more public exposure. In a bid to cultivate a media buzz around herself, the Internet sensation has been to the openings of films, book launches, and celebrity galas. With the way she carries on, she'd even go to the opening of an envelope!

See also: envelope, of, opening

open the door for

1. Literally, to open a door for another person. Open the door for me, will you? I have my hands full right now. Now that I'm on crutches, I really appreciate it when people open the door for me.

2. To create an opportunity for someone or something. Female professors like you really opened the door for future generations of women scholars. Recent advancements in technology really opened the door for my latest invention to gain widespread acceptance.

See also: door, open

opening gambit

Fig. an opening movement, tactic, or statement which is made to secure a position that is to one's advantage. The rebel army's opening gambit was to bomb the city's business district. The prosecution's opening gambit was to call a witness who linked the defendant to the scene of the crime.

See also: opening