• OP
n. 1. an operation …1925 sl.
n. 2. a military operation …1925 sl.
n. 3. a (private) detective …1926 sl.
n. 4. opium …E20 US drug culture sl.
• OPA
n. one’s grandfather …1962 Amer. dial.
• OPACATE
vb. to render opaque, to dim …1660 rare
• OPACIOUS
adj. opaque …1642 obs.
• OPACOUS
adj. 1. lying in shadow; not illuminated, darkened, obscure …1621-3 obs.
adj. 2. impermeable to light, opaque …1625 rare
• OPACOUSLY
adv. opaquely …1670 rare
• OPACOUSNESS
n. opaqueness …1656 rare
• OPACULAR
adj. somewhat opaque …1761 obs. rare
• OPADILLDOCK
n. a soap liniment; hence, any medicine; alcohol …1830 Amer. dial.
• OPAL
n. the eye …2002 UK sl.
• OPALA
n. refuse, trash …1938 Hawaii
• OPALESCE
vb. to exhibit a play of colours or iridescence like that of the opal …1819
• OPALISH
adj. somewhat like opal in colour …1805 rare
• OPALIZE
vb. to exhibit a play of colours like the opal …1811
• OPAQUE
adj. lying in shadow; not illuminated, darkened, obscure …c1420 rare
• O.P.B.
n. choice cigarette ends (Old Picked Bumpers’ and Other People’s Butts) …L19 sl.
• OPE
adj. open …a1250 now arch. and poetic usage
n. 1. an opportunity …1611 obs.
n. 2. a narrow passage between houses …1825 Eng. dial.
n. 3. an opening, an aperture …1845 arch.
n. 4. opium …E20 US drug culture sl.
vb. to open …c1430 chiefly poetic usage
• OPEDILDOC
n. a soap liniment; hence, any medicine; alcohol …1830 Amer. dial.
• OPELY
adv. openly …a1250 obs.
• OPEMENT
n. an opening, a crack …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• OPEN
adj. 1. of the bowels: not constipated …1562
adj. 2. of weather or season: free from frost; also, free from fog or mist (nautical usage) …1615
adj. 3. of the winter: mild, not frosty; without snow …1886 Sc. & Eng. dial.
adj. 4. generous …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 1. an opening, a gap …1606 Sc.
n. 2. the mouth or estuary of a river …1710
n. 3. a loud bellowing noise …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
vb. 1. to lay bare or make manifest to the view; to reveal, to disclose, to declare, to make known …c900 obs.
vb. 2. to unfold the sense of; to expound, to explain, to interpret …c1200 obs.
vb. 3. to announce, to declare; to make public, to promulgate …1433 obs.
vb. 4. of the weather: to become clear of frost …1678
vb. 5. to dissolve, to decompose …1727 obs.
vb. 6. to turn on a light …1972 Amer. dial.
• OPEN-AND-SHUT
adj. of the weather: alternately cloudy and sunny; variable …1890 Amer. dial.
• OPEN-ARSE
n. a lewd woman; a woman ready to copulate at any time …L17 Brit. sl.
• OPEN-BREASTED
adj. not concealing thoughts or feelings, frank …a1616 obs.
• OPEN C.
n. the female genitals …19C Brit. sl.
• OPEN EAR
n. a listening or attentive ear …a1225
• OPEN-FOUNDED
adj. based on plain or obvious facts …1571 obs.
• OPEN GO
n. 1. a fair fight …20C Aust. sl.
n. 2. any situation that meets a basic requirement of impartiality to all without fear of favour or prejudice …20C Aust. sl.
• OPEN-GOB
n. a talkative person; one who reveals secrets …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• OPEN-GOBBED
adj. talkative, loquacious, outspoken …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• OPEN-GROWN
adj. grown in the open air or ground …1894
• OPEN-HAIR
adj. with hair uncovered, bareheaded …c1380 obs. rare
• OPEN-HANDED
adj. ready to receive gifts …1701 obs.
• OPEN-HEAD
adj. with head uncovered, bareheaded …a1225 obs.
• OPEN-HEADED
adj. with head uncovered, bareheaded …c1386 obs.
• OPEN-HEARTED
adj. 1. not reserved, frank …1611
adj. 2. full of kindly feeling …a1617
• OPEN HOUSE
n. used to indicate that a man’s trouser fly is open …1950 Amer. dial.
• OPENING-AND-SHUTTING
adj. of the weather: alternately cloudy and sunny; variable …1890 Amer. dial.
• OPENLY
adj. open to sight, manifest, public …c1050 obs.
adv. by people generally, commonly, publicly …1154 obs.
• OPEN-MOUTH
adj. open-mouthed …1692 obs.
• OPEN-MOUTHED
adj. 1. talkative, loquacious, outspoken …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. coarse in speech, foul-mouthed …1892 Eng. dial.
• OPENNESS
n. freedom from cloud, clearness …1611 obs.
• OPEN ONE’S ACCOUNT
vb. 1846 – in sports: to begin one’s scoring tally; also, to register one’s first victory
• OPEN ONE’S BUDGET
vb. to speak one’s mind …1861
• OPEN ONE’S EARS
vb. to listen willingly or attentively …c1200 obs.
• OPEN ONE’S FACE
vb. to talk, to speak, esp. to speak rudely …L19 US sl.
• OPEN ONE’S HEAD
vb. to communicate what one is thinking; to speak …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• OPEN ONE’S HEART
vb. to be generous; usually used in irony …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• OPEN ONE’S MOUTH
vb. to ask a high price …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• OPEN OUT
vb. 1. 1896 – to begin, to make a start → Eng. dial.
vb. 2. Bk1905 – to expose ill deeds; to censure, to reprimand, to use violent language, to abuse, to cry aloud → Eng. dial.
vb. 3. Bk1905 – to reveal one’s true character → Eng. dial.
• OPEN-TAIL
n. 1618 – an unchaste woman; a sexually promiscuous woman → obs.
• OPEN THE BALL
vb. 1. 1812 – to be the first to act; to start things going; to begin, to commence → sl.
vb. 2. 1854 – to start a fight → US sl.
• OPEN THE BARN DOORS
vb. 1968 – in marbles: to put two marbles together and try to hit between and spread them apart → Amer. dial.
• OPEN-THROPPLED
adj. 1839 – thirsty, ever ready to drink → Eng. dial.
• OPEN-TIDE
n. the time out of Lent when no fast is imposed …c1440 obs.
• OPENTIE
n. an opening, a vacancy …Bk1905 Sc.
• OPEN TIME
n. the time out of Lent when no fast is imposed …a1529 obs.
• OPEN TO
vb. to tell, to reveal …1895 Eng. dial.
• OPEN UP
vb. to speak openly or frankly, ceasing to be secretive …1921 sl.,
• OPEN UP YOUR HOLE
phr. a command to the occupation of a room to open the door …Bk1942 Amer. college sl.
• OPEN-VISAGED
adj. having a frank or ingenuous face …1494 obs.
• OPER
n. a full glass of anything …1790 Eng. dial. obs.
• OPERABLE
adj. that may or should be done; practicable, feasible …1646 obs.
n. something that may or should be done; a matter or point of practice …1677 obs.
• OPERANCE
n. the act of operating; operation, action …1612 rare
• OPERANCY
n. operation …1810 rare
• OPERANT
adj. 1. that operates, works, or produces effects; operative …1602
adj. 2. powerful in effect; efficacious …1607 obs.
n. 1. one who, or that which, operates, works, or exerts force or influence …1700
n. 2. a workman …1831 rare
• OPERARIOUS
adj. pert. to the workman, done with labour; doing, as opposed to theoretical …1656 obs. rare
• OPERARY
adj. pert. to the workman, done with labour; doing, as opposed to theoretical …1612 obs.
• OPERATIC
adj. engaged in production as a workman or artisan, working …1823-27 rare
• OPERATICAL
adj. pert. to opera …1730-36 obs.
• OPERATION
n. 1. action, performance, work, deed …c1386 obs.
n. 2. the act of making or producing something …a1500 obs. rare
n. 3. something made; a product, work …1616 obs.
• OPERATIST
n. a worker …1651 obs. rare
• OPERATIVITY
n. power to work or produce effects; effectuality, efficacy …Bk1909 rare
• OPERATIZE
vb. to turn into an opera; to put into operatic form …1865
• OPERATOR
n. 1. 1611 – a cheat, an impostor, a quacksalver
n. 2. 1674 obs. – a quack manufacturer of drugs, etc.; one who lives by fraudulent operations
n. 3. 1731 obs. – a card-sharper, a cheat at cards
n. 4. 1951 sl. – someone who behaves in a particular way; often with an implication of underhandedness or unscrupulousness
• OPERATORIOUS
adj. 1555 – producing, or capable of producing an effect, effectual; concerned with action, practical → obs.
• OPERATORY
adj. a1556 obs. – producing an effect; effectual; concerned with action, practical
n. 1651 obs. – a workshop, a laboratory
• OPERATRESS
n. a female worker …1841 rare
• OPERATRICE
n. a female worker …1531 obs. rare
• OPERATRIX
n. a female worker …1792 rare
• OPERCLE
n. a cover, a covering …1597 obs.
• OPERCULAR
dj. furnished with a lid …1884 rare
• OPERCULATE
vb. to cover …1623 obs.
• OPERCULUM
n. a cover …1837
• OPERIMENT
n. a covering …1650 obs. rare
• OPERISH
adj. pert. to the opera; having the character of opera …1742 nonce word obs.
• OPEROSE
adj. 1. of a person: laborious; industrious, busy …1670
adj. 2. made or done with much labour; laborious; tedious; toilsome; elaborate …1683
• OPEROSELY
adv. laboriously, busily; elaborately …1668
• OPEROSENESS
n. laboriousness, elaborateness …1664
• OPEROSITY
n. laboriousness, painstaking endeavour …1623
• OPEROUS
adj. a1538 obs. – made or done with much labour or effort; laborious, industrious, busy; painstaking, tedious; toilsome
• OPEROUSLY
adv. laboriously, busily; elaborately …1668 obs.
• OPERTANEOUS
adj. of secret, hidden, or covert nature; done in private, hidden from view, concealed …1656 obs. rare
• OPERY
n. belongings, odds and ends, tackle …1892 Sc.
• OPE-TIDE
n. the time out of Lent when no fast is imposed …1597
• OPEWAY
n. an entry, passage; an opening …1881 Eng. dial.
• OPHIC
adj. relating to serpents …1865 rare
• OPHIDARIUM
n. a place where snakes are kept; a snake-house …1882 rare
• OPHIDIAN
adj. pert. to a snake or serpent; snake-like …1883
• OPHIDIARIUM
n. a place where snakes are kept; a snake-house …1891 rare
• OPHIDIOUS
adj. relating to snakes or serpents …1846 rare
• OPHIOGRAPHY
n. the description of serpents …1857
• OPHIOLATER
n. a serpent-worshipper …1895
• OPHIOLATROUS
adj. given to serpent-worship …1887
• OPHIOLATRY
n. serpent worship …1862
• OPHIOLOGIST
n. one versed in the natural history of serpents …1828
• OPHIOLOGY
n. the study of serpents …1828
• OPHIOMANCY
. divination by means of serpents …1753 rare
• OPHIOPHAGOUS
adj. eating or feeding upon serpents …1650
• OPHIOPHAGUS
n. a serpent-eater …1555
• OPHIOPHILISM
n. love of snakes …1883
• OPHIOPHILIST
n. a lover of snakes ….1883
• OPHIOUCH
n. a figure of a man holding a serpent …a1697 obs. rare
• OPHITE
adj. of the nature of or resembling a serpent; of a sinuous form …1828 rare
• OPHTHALMIATER
n. an ophthalmic surgeon; an oculist …1761 rare
• OPHTHALMIST
n. one versed in the structure and functions of the eye; an ophthalmologist …1696 rare
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Lexicophilia 