/ speɪs; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
EMPTY AREA
1.
[ U ] an amount of an area or of a place that is empty or that is available for use
SYN room :
floor / office / shelf, etc. space
We must make good use of the available space.
That desk takes up too much space .
There is very little storage space in the department.
Can we make space for an extra chair?
How much disk space will it take up? (= on a computer)
2.
[ C ] an area or a place that is empty :
a large / small / narrow / wide space
a space two metres by three metres
a parking space
crowded together in a confined space
I'll clear a space for your books.
Put it in the space between the table and the wall.
3.
[ U ] the quality of being large and empty, allowing you to move freely
SYN spaciousness :
The room has been furnished and decorated to give a feeling of space.
4.
[ C , U ] a large area of land that has no buildings on it :
the wide open spaces of the Canadian prairies
It's a city with fine buildings and plenty of open space .
➡ note at land
OUTSIDE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
5.
(also ˌouter ˈspace ) [ U ] the area outside the earth's atmosphere where all the other planets and stars are :
the first woman in space
the possibility of visitors from outer space
a space flight / mission
PERIOD OF TIME
6.
[ C , usually sing. ] a period of time :
Forty-four people died in the space of five days.
They had achieved a lot in a short space of time .
Leave a space of two weeks between appointments.
IN WRITING / PRINTING
7.
[ U , C ] the part of a line, page or document that is empty :
Don't waste space by leaving a wide margin.
There was not enough space to print all the letters we received.
Leave a space after the comma.
FREEDOM
8.
[ U ] the freedom and the time to think or do what you want to :
She was upset and needed space .
You have to give teenagers plenty of space .
—see also breathing space
WHERE THINGS EXIST / MOVE
9.
[ U ] the whole area in which all things exist and move :
It is quite possible that space and time are finite.
•
IDIOMS
- look / stare / gaze into space
—more at waste noun , watch verb
■ verb
[ vn , usually + adv. / prep. ] [ often passive ] to arrange things so that they have regular spaces between them :
evenly spaced plants
a row of closely spaced dots
Space the posts about a metre apart.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- space out
- space sth out
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : shortening of Old French espace , from Latin spatium . Current verb senses date from the late 17th cent.