open season
C1Informal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A designated period during which hunting of a particular animal species is legally permitted.
A period or situation in which someone or something is subjected to intense and often unrestrained attack, criticism, competition, or exploitation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a countable noun phrase, most often used with the indefinite article 'an' (an open season). The figurative sense is far more common than the literal hunting sense in modern general usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The literal hunting term is equally understood, though perhaps more culturally salient in the US. The figurative usage is prevalent in both varieties.
Connotations
Negative connotation in its figurative use, implying a lack of protection and fairness. Neutral in its literal hunting context.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English corpus data, likely due to the stronger hunting culture, but the figurative usage is common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is [open season] on NP (e.g., celebrities)NP has declared [open season] on NPFor NP, it's [open season]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's open season on someone/something”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a market situation where competitors aggressively target a company or sector, e.g., 'With the new regulations, it's open season on the banking sector.'
Academic
Used in political science or media studies to describe a period of intense, unregulated criticism of a public figure or institution.
Everyday
Used to describe a situation where someone is being heavily criticised or picked on, e.g., 'After his gaffe, it was open season on the mayor in the press.'
Technical
In wildlife management, denotes the legally specified dates for hunting a particular game species.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Deer hunting is only allowed in open season.
- The newspaper article was so critical, it felt like open season on the new policy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a sign in the woods saying 'OPEN' for hunting. Now imagine that sign placed on a person's back, meaning everyone is now 'allowed' to criticise them.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRITICISM/ATTACK IS HUNTING; THE TARGET IS PREY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'открытый сезон' for the figurative sense, as it primarily refers to literal hunting. For the figurative sense, phrases like 'время беспощадной критики' or 'травля' are more appropriate, though context-dependent.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'open season' without 'on' when specifying the target (e.g., 'It's open season politicians').
- Confusing it with 'open house'.
- Using it to describe a general opportunity without a negative connotation of attack.
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following contexts is 'open season' used figuratively?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Very rarely. Its core meaning is neutral (a legal hunting period), but its overwhelming figurative use is negative, implying a vicious, unprotected state. It is not used for positive opportunities like 'a great time for shopping'.
In its figurative sense, when specifying the target of the attacks, it is almost always followed by 'on' + target. The literal sense can use 'for' (open season for deer) or simply stand alone.
The direct opposite is 'closed season' (or 'off-season'), which is the period when hunting a particular species is illegal to allow for population growth and breeding.
It is acceptable in neutral and informal contexts, including journalism and political commentary. It would be considered too colloquial for very formal legal or scientific writing, where alternatives like 'period of intense scrutiny' or 'legal hunting season' would be preferred.