Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - vacuum

n. & v. --n. (pl. vacuums or vacua) 1 a space entirely devoid of matter. 2 a space or vessel from which the air has been completely or partly removed by a pump etc. 3 a the absence of the normal or previous content of a place, environment, etc. b the absence of former circumstances, activities, etc. 4 (pl. vacuums) colloq. a vacuum cleaner. 5 a decrease of pressure below the normal atmospheric value. --v. colloq. 1 tr. clean with a vacuum cleaner. 2 intr. use a vacuum cleaner. Phrases and idioms vacuum brake a brake in which pressure is caused by the exhaustion of air. vacuum-clean clean with a vacuum cleaner. vacuum cleaner an apparatus for removing dust etc. by suction. vacuum flask Brit. a vessel with a double wall enclosing a vacuum so that the liquid in the inner receptacle retains its temperature. vacuum gauge a gauge for testing the pressure after the production of a vacuum. vacuum-packed sealed after the partial removal of air. vacuum pump a pump for producing a vacuum. vacuum tube a tube with a near-vacuum for the free passage of electric current. Etymology: mod.L, neut. of L vacuus empty