VACANCY • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Vacancy

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/vˈeɪkənsi/ Listen

noun

Vacancy n. (pl. vacancies)

The quality or state of being vacant; emptiness; hence, freedom from employment; intermission; leisure; idleness; listlessness. "All dispositions to idleness or vacancy, even before they are habits, are dangerous."

That which is vacant. Specifically:

(a)

Empty space; vacuity; vacuum. "How is't with you, That you do bend your eye on vacancy?"

(b)

An open or unoccupied space between bodies or things; an interruption of continuity; chasm; gap; as, a vacancy between buildings; a vacancy between sentences or thoughts.

(c)

Unemployed time; interval of leisure; time of intermission; vacation. "Time lost partly in too oft idle vacancies given both to schools and universities." "No interim, not a minute's vacancy." "Those little vacancies from toil are sweet."

(d)

A place or post unfilled; an unoccupied office; as, a vacancy in the senate, in a school, etc.

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Etymology of 'Vacancy'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Vacancy" Quotes from Famous Books

... and venison-steaks which Nattee, the Indian servant, was bringing in from the kitchen. No one seemed to have been speaking to Captain Holdernesse while Lois had been away. Manasseh sat quiet and silent where he did, with the book open upon his knee, his eyes thoughtfully fixed on vacancy, as if he saw a vision, or dreamed dreams. Faith stood by the table, lazily directing Nattee in her preparations; and Prudence lolled against the door-frame, between kitchen and keeping-room, playing tricks on the old Indian woman as she passed backwards and forwards, till Nattee ...

— Curious, if True - Strange Tales • Elizabeth Gaskell

... what there was a vacancy in the ranks of those gallant airmen who were so willingly giving their service in answer to their country's call. More than a few had been sent to the hospital from which they would only emerge, it might be, cripples for life, but ...

— Air Service Boys Flying for Victory - or, Bombing the Last German Stronghold • Charles Amory Beach

... occurred in Cinderella's face. She stood gazing into vacancy a moment, her eyes shining. An instant later she dashed from the room, to be present at the wedding ceremony. Already, in the distance, the strains of the ...

— Everychild - A Story Which The Old May Interpret to the Young and Which the Young May Interpret to the Old • Louis Dodge

... the cottages, and his wife stood beside him with her boy. "Now then we are ready," said Stanbury. And in that way they bade farewell to Casalunga. Trevelyan sat speechless in the carriage, and would not even notice the child. He seemed to be half dreaming and to fix his eyes on vacancy. "He appears to think of nothing now," Emily said that evening to Stanbury. But who can tell how busy and how troubled are the thoughts of ...

— He Knew He Was Right • Anthony Trollope

... long upon vacancy before returning any answer. He strove to dispel the cloud-pageantry which had sailed above him in shapeless beauty. He walked up and down the chamber, paused, threw open the window, and looked upon the street below. I felt that every petty detail of man's daily craft ...

— Atlantic Monthly, Vol. XII. September, 1863, No. LXXI. - A Magazine Of Literature, Art, And Politics • Various

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