Vacuum Meaning
/ˈvæ.kjuːm/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA region of space that contains no matter.
nounThe condition of rarefaction, or reduction of pressure below that of the atmosphere, in a vessel, such as the condenser of a steam engine, which is nearly exhausted of air or steam, etc.
Sentence Examples
Corporations are competing to fill the vacuum.
Mac helped me carry the vacuum cleaner.
She used the new vacuum cleaner to clean the living room carpet.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She used the new ____ to suck up all the crumbs from the kitchen floor.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He used a powerful ____ cleaner to remove all the dust and dirt from the living room carpet earlier this morning today.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from New Latin vacuum (“vacuum”), a subsense of Classical Latin vacuum (“empty space”), a substantivised form of vacuus (“empty”); related to vacāre (“to be empty”). The exercise sense comes from analogy to the sucking action of a vacuum cleaner.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The Wards are open-topped, with skyscrapers rising from the superstructure. Towers are sealed against vacuum, as the breathable atmosphere envelope is only maintained to a height of about seven meters. The atmosphere is contained by the centrifugal force of rotation and a "membrane" of dense, colorless sulphur hexafluoride gas, held in place by carefully managed mass effect fields."
— 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel Station: Wards Codex entry:
"Henrietta soon found a terrible vacuum left, by the letters in which she used to pour forth every feeling and thought to her uncle."
— 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 82–83:
"Abs show up in a most-muscular shot, a vacuum shot, the hands-behind-head compulsory ab shot, twisting poses, and so on."
— 1985, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page 508:
"Right I'm off to practice my vacuum - suck in those stomachs now!"
— 1997 January 6, John, “I'm 14; How do I start bodybuilding?”, in misc.fitness.weights (Usenet):
"When I do the 'gut vacuum' exercise the abdominal wall seems to return to normal size, as far as I can tell under the flab."
— 2010 January 7, Silent Stone, “Want to start, have a few questions for now.”, in misc.fitness.weights (Usenet):
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She used the new ____ to suck up all the crumbs from the kitchen floor.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He used a powerful ____ cleaner to remove all the dust and dirt from the living room carpet earlier this morning today.