open house

Related to open house: Open table

open house

1. A condition, situation, or event in which a home is open and welcome to visitors at any time. We like to have an open house, so please just drop by whenever you like. It really threw the neighborhood off-kilter the way the Jeffersons kept open house, with people arriving and departing at all hours.
2. A time or state in which a house, apartment, or other residential building that is up for sale may be viewed by prospective buyers. We've been looking for weeks for the right house to buy, but there's an open house this Saturday for one that looks really promising.
3. A specified day in which an organization, especially a school, university, or business, is open for visitation, inspection, or evaluation by members of the public. Primarily heard in US. I wouldn't mind the open house at school so much if we didn't have to act like trained seals for the prospective parents.
See also: house, open
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

(keep) open ˈhouse

be willing to receive guests in your home at any time, and give them food, drink, etc: It was always open house at their place.
See also: house, open
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • open the way for (one)
  • out in the open
  • open your mouth
  • not open (one's) mouth
  • not open mouth
  • not open one's mouth
  • burst open
  • an open book, he/she is (like an)
  • be an open book
  • throw open
References in periodicals archive
Open House Production cited increased building costs, an uncertain market and a low capacity utilisation as reasons for closing the Arlov plant.
The survey was made available to all participants attending the open house activities.
Timothy Rourke, an engineer and the designer of his own solar home, is the Connecticut coordinator for the Green Buildings Open House. He expects to see a huge increase in interest this year because of a state program launched by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (funded by electrical ratepayers) that rebates $5 a watt, or as much as one half the cost of installing a solar photovoltaic electricity system.
That's when it occurred to me to have prize drawings every hour or so during the open house. I knew we didn't have the budget to provide the prizes, so I decided to e-mail music publishers and companies to see if they would like to donate prizes for attendees at the open house.
Open House chairman Margaret Watkin explained: "Several committee members have had to give up over the last year so we do not have the time to operate as we usually do.
"We have seen a 90 per cent increase (in business) since we have started the tours and had the open house," he says.
and have these on display during your open house. Let the realtors know that you sell housewarming gifts at a variety of price points.
The 24-ft tank would cost $40,000 to $45,000 as equipped for the open house.
When two of those responsible for the Ramle house came to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1999 to enlist support, they unwittingly planted the seeds for another Open House. The vision and inspiration of Yehezkel Landau, an American-born Jewish immigrant to Israel, and Michail Fanous, an Israeli Christian Arab, captivated a diverse group of Cincinnati residents.
The annual Chinati Foundation Open House. When Donald Judd pitched camp in an abandoned army fort in Marfa back in '82, it seemed as if he had gone out of his way to pinpoint the middle of nowhere.
fusion research laboratory will hold an open house June 3 to give the public an opportunity to view the newest U.S.
* A day camp offers a map that says "You Were Here" rather than "You Are Here." The map displays all the activities and the equipment that were gone from sight during a mid-winter open house.
Visitors can explore the classic sport of archery during a free Archery Open House from 10 a.m.
Thousands of people from all walks of life attended the Aidilfitri open house of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and his wife Datin Seri Shuryani Shuaib at their official residence in Likas here today.