Space (spās), n. [OE. space, F. espace, from L. spatium space; cf. Gr. σπᾶν to draw, to tear; perh. akin to E. span. Cf. Expatiate.]
1. Extension, considered independently of anything which it may contain; that which makes extended objects conceivable and possible.
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Pure space is capable neither of resistance nor motion. Locke.
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2. Place, having more or less extension; room.
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They gave him chase, and hunted him as hare;
Long had he no space to dwell [in]. R. of Brunne.
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While I have time and space. Chaucer.
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3. A quantity or portion of extension; distance from one thing to another; an interval between any two or more objects; as, “the space between two stars or two hills; the sound was heard for the space of a mile”.
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Put a space betwixt drove and drove. Gen. xxxii. 16.
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4. Quantity of time; an interval between two points of time; duration; time. “Grace God gave him here, this land to keep long space.” R. of brunne.
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Nine times the space that measures day and night. Milton.
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God may defer his judgments for a time, and give a people a longer space of repentance. Tillotson.
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5. A short time; a while. [R.] “To stay your deadly strife a space.” Spenser.
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6. Walk; track; path; course. [Obs.]
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This ilke [same] monk let old things pace,
And held after the new world the space. Chaucer.
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7. (Print.) (a) A small piece of metal cast lower than a face type, so as not to receive the ink in printing, -- used to separate words or letters. (b) The distance or interval between words or letters in the lines, or between lines, as in books, on a computer screen, etc.
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☞ Spaces are of different thicknesses to enable the compositor to arrange the words at equal distances from each other in the same line.
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8. (Mus.) One of the intervals, or open places, between the lines of the staff.
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9. that portion of the universe outside the earth or its atmosphere; -- called also outer space.
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Absolute space, Euclidian space, etc. See under Absolute, Euclidian, etc. -- deep space, the part of outer space which is beyond the limits of the solar system. -- Space line (Print.), a thin piece of metal used by printers to open the lines of type to a regular distance from each other, and for other purposes; a lead. Hansard. -- Space rule (Print.), a fine, thin, short metal rule of the same height as the type, used in printing short lines in tabular matter.
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