space

I UK [speɪs] / US noun
Word forms "space":
singular space plural spaces
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1) [countable/uncountable] an empty or available area

We replaced the bath with a shower to create more space.

Every space on the walls is covered with pictures.

a confined/limited/enclosed space (= a small space):

Their voices sounded loud in the confined space.

space for:

The nursery has space for 48 children.

a) [countable/uncountable] an area of land where there are no buildings

What we really need is more green spaces in cities.

open space:

policies to protect, enhance, and create open space

b) [uncountable] the area that is available on a computer for storing information

These applications don't take up huge amounts of hard disk space.

c) [uncountable] an area that exists in a particular part of a building

a two-storey building with 3,000 square metres of floor space

In summer the roof space is very hot.

•

Collocations:
Verbs frequently used with space as the object ▪  create, fill, find, leave, make, take up

2) [countable] an empty area between things

Leave a space of about two feet.

space between:

You can grow seeds in the spaces between the plants.

3) [countable/uncountable] an area used for a particular purpose

a parking space

I only have a small working space.

4) [uncountable] the whole of the universe outside the Earth's atmosphere

man's ventures into space

a space mission

in space:

The crew have been living in space for over three months.

See:

seed I

5) [uncountable] the area in which everything exists

The idea that space and time were curved was still controversial.

the changing positions of objects in three-dimensional space

6) [countable] an empty area that you leave between words, lines, or paragraphs

Leave one line space between the paragraphs.

a) a place on a form where you write something

Write your name and address in the spaces below.

b) the width of one letter of the alphabet when you are typing

Move the cursor two spaces to the right.

7) [uncountable] the amount of space that is available for publishing something such as an article or advertisement

Newspapers also make money from selling advertising space.

8) [uncountable] time and freedom to do things how and when you want, especially in your relationships with other people

The children were given little personal space or privacy.

See:

breathing space

9) [singular] a period of time

space of time:

It was an amazing achievement in such a short space of time.

in/within the space of:

In the space of 36 hours, I had travelled halfway round the world.

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look/stare into space — to look in front of you for a long time without seeing the things that are there because you are thinking about something else

He sat quietly for a while, staring into space.

II UK [speɪs] / US verb
Word forms "space":
present tense I/you/we/they space he/she/it spaces present participle spacing past tense spaced past participle spaced

1) space or space out

[transitive] to arrange objects, events, activities etc so that they are a particular time or distance apart

Space your workouts two days apart to avoid sore muscles.

Bean plants should be spaced three inches apart.

2) space or space out

[intransitive] mainly American informal to not pay attention to someone or something because you are thinking, tired, bored etc

Say that again please. I spaced for a minute.