VACUUM


Meaning of VACUUM in English

I. vac ‧ u ‧ um 1 /ˈvækjuəm, -kjʊm/ BrE AmE noun

[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: vacuus ; ⇨ ↑ vacuous ]

1 . [countable] a space that is completely empty of all gas, especially one from which all the air has been taken away

2 . [countable] a vacuum cleaner

3 . [singular] a situation in which someone or something is missing or lacking

create/leave a vacuum (in something)

Her husband’s death left a vacuum in her life.

power/political/moral etc vacuum

the political vacuum caused by the ban on Communist Party activity

4 . in a vacuum existing completely separately from other people or things and having no connection with them:

The process of learning a language does not take place in a vacuum.

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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)

■ verbs

▪ create a vacuum

His sudden departure created a vacuum at the head of the company.

▪ leave a vacuum

The disappearance of religious beliefs has left a vacuum in many people's lives.

▪ fill a vacuum

What political ideas have filled the vacuum left by the fall of communism?

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + vacuum

▪ a power vacuum

The leader's sudden death created a power vacuum.

▪ a political vacuum

Military leaders stepped in to fill the political vacuum.

▪ a moral vacuum (=a lack of moral standards)

Many children are growing up in a moral vacuum.

▪ a policy vacuum

There is a policy vacuum on climate change.

II. vacuum 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]

to clean using a vacuum cleaner

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.