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OPENNESS
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Willingness or readiness to receive (especially impressions or ideas)
Example:
their receptivity to the proposal
Synonyms:
openness; receptiveness; receptivity
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("openness" is a kind of...):
willingness (cheerful compliance)
Derivation:
open (without undue constriction as from e.g. tenseness or inhibition)
open (ready or willing to receive favorably)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Characterized by an attitude of ready accessibility (especially about one's actions or purposes); without concealment; not secretive
Synonyms:
nakedness; openness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("openness" is a kind of...):
sociability; sociableness (the relative tendency or disposition to be sociable or associate with one's fellows)
Antonym:
closeness (characterized by a lack of openness (especially about one's actions or purposes))
Derivation:
open (openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness)
open (open and observable; not secret or hidden)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Without obstructions to passage or view
Example:
the openness of the prairies
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("openness" is a kind of...):
spacing; spatial arrangement (the property possessed by an array of things that have space between them)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "openness"):
patency (the openness (lack of obstruction) of a bodily passage or duct)
Derivation:
open (affording free passage or view)
Context examples:
He had spoken to her with some degree of openness of Mrs Clay; had appeared completely to see what Mrs Clay was about, and to hold her in contempt; and yet Mrs Clay found him as agreeable as any body.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
To know that she had the power of revealing what would so exceedingly astonish Jane, and must, at the same time, so highly gratify whatever of her own vanity she had not yet been able to reason away, was such a temptation to openness as nothing could have conquered but the state of indecision in which she remained as to the extent of what she should communicate; and her fear, if she once entered on the subject, of being hurried into repeating something of Bingley which might only grieve her sister further.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
Her sensibilities, I suspect, are strong—and her temper excellent in its power of forbearance, patience, self-control; but it wants openness.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
His regard for her, infinitely surpassing anything that Willoughby ever felt or feigned, as much more warm, as more sincere or constant—which ever we are to call it—has subsisted through all the knowledge of dear Marianne's unhappy prepossession for that worthless young man!—and without selfishness—without encouraging a hope!—could he have seen her happy with another—Such a noble mind!—such openness, such sincerity!—no one can be deceived in HIM.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
Anne thought she left great happiness behind her when they quitted the house; and Louisa, by whom she found herself walking, burst forth into raptures of admiration and delight on the character of the navy; their friendliness, their brotherliness, their openness, their uprightness; protesting that she was convinced of sailors having more worth and warmth than any other set of men in England; that they only knew how to live, and they only deserved to be respected and loved.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
Her mother, still confident of their engagement, and relying as warmly as ever on his constancy, had only been roused by Elinor's application, to intreat from Marianne greater openness towards them both; and this, with such tenderness towards her, such affection for Willoughby, and such a conviction of their future happiness in each other, that she wept with agony through the whole of it.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
He had been in Bath about a fortnight; (he had passed through Bath in November, in his way to London, when the intelligence of Sir Walter's being settled there had of course reached him, though only twenty-four hours in the place, but he had not been able to avail himself of it;) but he had now been a fortnight in Bath, and his first object on arriving, had been to leave his card in Camden Place, following it up by such assiduous endeavours to meet, and when they did meet, by such great openness of conduct, such readiness to apologize for the past, such solicitude to be received as a relation again, that their former good understanding was completely re-established.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
The openness and heartiness of her manner more than atoned for that want of recollection and elegance which made her often deficient in the forms of politeness; her kindness, recommended by so pretty a face, was engaging; her folly, though evident was not disgusting, because it was not conceited; and Elinor could have forgiven every thing but her laugh.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
