An archaic or poetic word meaning to open something.
From Old English 'opan' (to open), related to Germanic and Proto-Indo-European roots meaning 'to open' or 'uncover'.
Poets adore 'ope' because it's a single syllable instead of 'open's' two—when you're counting syllables in iambic pentameter or trying to fit words into a specific meter, 'ope' is a lifesaver, which is why you'll find it constantly in Shakespeare and Romantic poetry but nowhere in actual speech.
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