Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of the boundless four-dimensional continuum known as spacetime. In mathematics one examines 'spaces' with different numbers of dimensions and with different underlying structures. The concept of space is considered to be of fundamental importance to an understanding of the physical universe although disagreement continues between philosophers over whether it is itself an entity, a relationship between entities, or part of a conceptual framework.

Noun

space (countable and uncountable; plural spaces)

1. The intervening contents of a volume.
2. (uncountable) Area occupied by or intended for a person or thing.
3. (countable) An area or volume of sufficient size to accommodate a person or thing.
4. A while.
5. The volume beyond the atmosphere of planets that consists of a relative vacuum.
6. The volume beyond the Kármán line that lies 100km above mean sea level of the Earth.
7. A gap between written or printed letters, numbers, characters, or lines; a blank.
   1. In digital text, a character representing a space ( ).
8. (letterpress typography) A piece of metal type used to separate words, cast lower than other type so as not to take ink, especially one that is narrower than one en (compare quad).
   • 1683, Joseph Moxon, Mechanick Exercises: Or, the Doctrine of Handy-Works. Applied to the art of Printing., v 2, pp. 240–41:

     If it be only a Single Letter or two that drops, he thruſts the end of his Bodkin between every Letter of that Word, till he comes to a Space: and then perhaps by forcing thoſe Letters closer, he may have room to put in another Space or a Thin Space; which if he cannot do, and he finds the Space ſtand Looſe in the Form; he with the Point of his Bodkin picks the Space up and bows it a little; which bowing makes the Letters on each ſide of the Space keep their parallel diſtance; for by its Spring it thruſts the Letters that were cloſed with the end of the Bodkin to their adjunct Letters, that needed no cloſing.

   • 1979, Marshall Lee, Bookmaking, p 110:

     Horizontal spacing is further divided into multiples and fractions of the em. The multiples are called quads. The fractions are called spaces.

   • 2005, Phil Baines and Andrew Haslam, Type & Typography, 2nd ed, p 91:

     Other larger spaces – known as quads – were used to space out lines.

9. (geometry) A set of points, each of which is uniquely specified by a set of coordinates; the number of coordinates specifying a point and the number of mutually perpendicular axes along which the coordinates lie are the same, and that is the number of dimensions of the space.
10. One's personal freedom to think or be oneself.
11. The state of mind one is in when daydreaming.
12. (mathematics) a generalized construct or set, the members of which have certain properties in common; often used in combination with the name of a particular mathematician
13. (Indian philosophy) One of the five basic elements.
14. interval of time
    • 2011 September 29, Jon Smith, “Tottenham 3 - 1 Shamrock Rovers”, BBC Sport:

      But their lead lasted just 10 minutes before Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermain Defoe both headed home in the space of two minutes to wrestle back control.

Quotations

• For more examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.