Definition

1. Verb:
   • To open something again after it has been closed, either physically (like a door or building) or operationally (like a business or institution).
   • To resume or begin an activity, discussion, or process again after a pause or interruption.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The café will reopen next week with a new menu. (The café will become open for business again next week.)
  • The judge decided to reopen the case due to new evidence. (The judge decided to start the legal proceedings for the case again.)
  • Please do not reopen that old wound; the argument is over. (Please do not start that painful topic of discussion again.)

Advanced Usage

• "to reopen negotiations/discussions": To begin talking about an issue again in order to reach an agreement.
  • After a month-long stalemate, both sides agreed to reopen negotiations.
• "to reopen a wound" (idiomatic): To cause emotional pain by bringing up a past hurtful event.
  • His careless comment served only to reopen old wounds.

Variants and Related Words

• Reopening (noun): The act of opening something again.
  • The grand reopening of the library attracted many visitors.

Synonyms

• Resume: To begin again after an interruption.
• Recommence: To start again formally.
• Restart: To start an operation or process over.

Phrasal Verbs

(This word does not commonly form distinct phrasal verbs. Its meaning is contained within the single verb form.)

Related Idioms

• Reopen Pandora's box: To restart a process that will lead to many new (and often troublesome) problems.
  • Asking about the company's old financial scandals would be to reopen Pandora's box.

Verb

1. open again or anew
   • They reopened the theater