space

Universal Words 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 SYNROOM: disk / floor / office / shelf 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? -< PLACE 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 SYNSPACIOUSNESS: 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. outside earth's atmosphere 5 (also outer space) [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 * the US space programme * 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 and is available for use: 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. seealsoBREATHINGSPACE 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 to look straight in front of you without looking at a particular thing, usually because you are thinking about sth: He sat staring into space, like a man in a trance. moreatWASTEn., WATCHv. verb [VN] [usually +adv./prep.] [oftenpassive] to arrange things so that they have regular spaces between them: evenly / widely spaced plants * a row of closely spaced dots * Space the posts about a metre apart. PHRASALVERBS space out (informal, especially AmE) to take no notice of what is happening around you, especially as a result of taking drugs: I can't remember what happened next-I was totally spacing out. seealsoSPACEDOUT space sth>-<out to arrange things with a wide space between them: The houses are spaced out in this area of town. * Mothers were being advised to try to space out their pregnancies.