Noun

(en noun)

A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin.

* Milton

He then surveyed / Hell and the gulf between.

* Bible, Luke xvi. 26

Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed.

(obsolete) That which swallows; the gullet.

* 1606 , , IV. i. 23:

Witch's mummy, maw and gulf / Of the ravined salt sea shark,

That which swallows irretrievably; a whirlpool; a sucking eddy.

* Tennyson

a gulf of ruin, swallowing gold

(geography) A portion of an ocean or sea extending into the land; a partially landlocked sea; as, the Gulf of Mexico or Persian Gulf.

(mining) A large deposit of ore in a lode.

A difference, especially a large difference, between groups

* {{quote-news

, year=2012 , date=September 7 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Moldova 0-5 England , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=England were graphically illustrating the huge gulf in class between the sides and it was no surprise when Lampard added the second just before the half hour. Steven Gerrard found his Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson and Lampard arrived in the area with perfect timing to glide a header beyond Namasco.}}

Noun

(en noun)

An act or instance of making or becoming open.

The daily openings of the day lily bloom gives it its name.

He remembered fondly the Christmas morning opening of presents.

Something that is open.

A salamander darted out of an opening in the rocks.

He slipped through an opening in the crowd.

An act or instance of beginning.

There have been few factory and store openings in the US lately.

Their opening of the concert with ''Brass in Pocket'' always fires up the crowd.

Something that is a beginning.

# The first performance of a show or play by a particular troupe.

They were disappointed at the turnout for their opening , but hoped that word would spread.

# The initial period a show at an art gallery or museum is first opened, especially the first evening.

# The first few measures of a musical composition.

# (chess) The first few moves in a game of chess.

John spends two hours a day studying openings , and another two hours studying endgames.

A vacant position, especially in an array.

Are there likely to be any openings on the Supreme Court in the next four years?

# A time available in a schedule.

If you'd like to make a booking with us, we have an opening at twelve o'clock.

The only two-hour openings for the hockey rink are between 1AM and 5AM.

# An unoccupied employment position.

We have an opening in our marketing department.

An opportunity, as in a competitive activity.

* {{quote-news

, year=2010 , date=December 29 , author=Sam Sheringham , title=Liverpool 0 - 1 Wolverhampton , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=The Reds carved the first opening of the second period as Glen Johnson's pull-back found David Ngog but the Frenchman hooked wide from six yards. }}