opening
     adj : first or beginning; "the memorable opening bars of
           Beethoven's Fifth"; "the play's opening scene" [ant: {closing}]
     n 1: 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: {gap}]
     2: a ceremony accompanying the start of some enterprise
     3: becoming open or being made open; "the opening of his arms
        was the sign I was waiting for"
     4: the first performance (as of a theatrical production); "the
        opening received good critical reviews" [syn: {opening
        night}, {curtain raising}]
     5: the act of opening something; "the ray of light revealed his
        cautious opening of the door" [ant: {shutting}]
     6: opportunity especially for employment or promotion; "there
        is an opening in the sales department"
     7: the initial part of the introduction; "the opening
        established the basic theme"
     8: a possible alternative; "bankruptcy is always a possibility"
        [syn: {possibility}, {possible action}]
     9: an aperture or hole opening into a bodily cavity; "the
        orifice into the aorta from the lower left chamber of the
        heart" [syn: {orifice}, {porta}]
     10: a vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made; "they left
         a small opening for the cat at the bottom of the door"
     11: an entrance equipped with a hatch; especially a passageway
         between decks of a ship [syn: {hatchway}, {scuttle}]
     12: the first of a series of actions; "he memorized all the
         important chess openings" [syn: {first step}, {initiative},
          {opening move}]
Source: WordNet® 2.0