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vacant - 5 dictionary results

va⋅cant

  [vey-kuhnt]
Use vacant in a Sentence
–adjective
1. having no contents; empty; void: a vacant niche.
2. having no occupant; unoccupied: no vacant seats on this train.
3. not in use: a vacant room.
4. devoid of thought or reflection: a vacant mind.
5. characterized by, showing, or proceeding from lack of thought or intelligence: a vacant answer; a vacant expression on a face.
6. not occupied by an incumbent, official, or the like, as a benefice or office.
7. free from work, business, activity, etc.: vacant hours.
8. characterized by or proceeding from absence of occupation: a vacant life.
9. devoid or destitute (often fol. by of): He was vacant of human sympathy.
10. Law.
a. having no tenant and devoid of furniture, fixtures, etc. (distinguished from unoccupied ): a vacant house.
b. idle or unutilized; open to any claimant, as land.
c. without an incumbent; having no heir or claimant; abandoned: a vacant estate.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME < L vacant- (s. of vacāns, prp. of vacāre to be empty); see -ant

Related forms:
va⋅cant⋅ly, adverb
va⋅cant⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1, 2. See empty. 5. blank, vacuous, inane.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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va·cant   (vā'kənt)   
adj.  
  1. Containing nothing; empty.
  2. Without an incumbent or occupant; unfilled: a vacant position.
  3. Not occupied or put to use: a vacant lot.
  4. Law Not claimed by an heir: a vacant estate.
    1. Lacking intelligence or knowledge: a vacant mind.
    2. Lacking expression; blank: a vacant stare.
  6. Not filled with any activity: vacant hours. See Synonyms at empty.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin vacāns, vacant-, present participle of vacāre, to be empty; see euə- in Indo-European roots.]
va'cant·ly adv., va'cant·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Vacant

Va"cant\, a. [F., fr. L. vacans, -antis, p. pr. of vacare to be empty, to be free or unoccupied, to have leisure, also vocare; akin to vacuus empty, and probably to E. void. Cf. Evacuate, Void, a.]

1. Deprived of contents; not filled; empty; as, a vacant room.

Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form. --Shak.

Being of those virtues vacant. --Shak.

There is no fireside, howsoe'er defended, But has one vacant chair. --Longfellow.

2. Unengaged with business or care; unemployed; unoccupied; disengaged; free; as, vacant hours.

Religion is the interest of all; but philosophy of those . . . at leisure, and vacant from the affairs of the world. --Dr. H. More.

There was not a minute of the day which he left vacant. --Bp. Fell.

3. Not filled or occupied by an incumbent, possessor, or officer; as, a vacant throne; a vacant parish.

Special dignities which vacant lie For thy best use and wearing. --Shak.

4. Empty of thought; thoughtless; not occupied with study or reflection; as, a vacant mind.

The duke had a pleasant and vacant face. --Sir H. Wotton.

When on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood. --Wordsworth.

5. (Law) Abandoned; having no heir, possessor, claimant, or occupier; as, a vacant estate. --Bouvier.

Vacant succession (Law), one that is claimed by no person, or where all the heirs are unknown, or where all the known heirs to it have renounced it. --Burrill.

Syn: Empty; void; devoid; free; unemployed; disengaged; unincumbered; uncrowded; idle.

Usage: Vacant, Empty. A thing is empty when there is nothing in it; as, an empty room, or an empty noddle. Vacant adds the idea of having been previously filled, or intended to be filled or occupied; as, a vacant seat at table; a vacant office; vacant hours. When we speak of a vacant look or a vacant mind, we imply the absence of the intelligence naturally to be expected there.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : vacant
Spanish: libre,
German: frei,
Japanese: 空いている
More Translations »

vacant 
c.1290, from O.Fr. vacant, from L. vacantem (nom. vacans), prp. of vacare "to be empty" (see vain). Vacancy "state of being vacant" first recorded 1607, from L.L. vacantia, from vacans. Meaning "available room at a hotel" is recorded from 1953.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: va·cant
Function: adjective
1 : not filled or occupied
2 a : not put to use <vacant land> b : having no heir or claimant vacant estate>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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