vacancy

n.; pl. Vacancies [ Cf. F. vacance. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The quality or state of being vacant; emptiness; hence, freedom from employment; intermission; leisure; idleness; listlessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

All dispositions to idleness or vacancy, even before they are habits, are dangerous. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is vacant. Specifically: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

(a) Empty space; vacuity; vacuum. [ 1913 Webster ]

How is't with you,
That you do bend your eye on vacancy? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) An open or unoccupied space between bodies or things; an interruption of continuity; chasm; gap; as, a vacancy between buildings; a vacancy between sentences or thoughts. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) Unemployed time; interval of leisure; time of intermission; vacation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Time lost partly in too oft idle vacancies given both to schools and universities. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

No interim, not a minute's vacancy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those little vacancies from toil are sweet. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

(d) A place or post unfilled; an unoccupied office; as, a vacancy in the senate, in a school, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]