dead space

American  

[ded spays] / ˈdɛd ˈspeɪs /

noun

• dead spaces
  plural

1. space, as in a room, urban area, etc., that is not being used or cannot be used.

2. Physiology. the volume of air in those parts of the respiratory tract in which there is no exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, namely in the nose, trachea, and bronchi, as opposed to the bronchioles.

3. Medicine/Medical. in a syringe, the space between the bottom of the plunger and the syringe's tapered tip, in which unused product remains after an injection.

4. Photography. the area in a picture or image that does not draw the viewer's eye because it is not dominated by the subject and its position, gaze, or movement.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dead spaces
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dead space

He also recommends paying close attention to visual elements of your story and the editing to cut out dead space.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2023

Seattle might have made it a half second before an outburst of screams filled the dead space, leaving at least one half of Les Twins, two of Beyoncé’s more famous backup dancers, looking dismayed.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2023

All that needs to be said is there's no dead space at these farewell parties, and each hour needs to be watched closely and savored fully.

From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2023

Many modern xylems have intricate cross sections that look like gappy rings, crosses, diamonds or hearts, with dead space called pith separating bundles of xylem tissue.

From Scientific American ● Jan. 27, 2023

To play, to bargain reasonably, to offer the Word, to stretch a hand across the dead space that pillowed around us.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver