gap

American  

[gap] / gæp /

noun

1. a break or opening, as in a fence, wall, or military line; breach.

   We found a gap in the enemy's line of fortifications.

2. an empty space or interval; interruption in continuity; hiatus.

   a momentary gap in a siren's wailing; a gap in his memory.

   Synonyms:

   lull, interlude, break, interstice, pause

3. a wide divergence or difference; disparity.

   the gap between expenses and income; the gap between ideals and actions.

4. a difference or disparity in attitudes, perceptions, character, or development, or a lack of confidence or understanding, perceived as creating a problem.

   the technology gap; a communications gap.

5. a deep, sloping ravine or cleft through a mountain ridge.

6. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a mountain pass.

   the Cumberland Gap.

7. Aeronautics. the distance between one supporting surface of an airplane and another above or below it.

---

verb (used with object)

gapped, gapping

1. to make a gap, opening, or breach in.

verb (used without object)

gapped, gapping

1. to come open or apart; form or show a gap.

gap British  

/ ɡæp /

noun

1. a break or opening in a wall, fence, etc

2. a break in continuity; interruption; hiatus

   there is a serious gap in the accounts

3. a break in a line of hills or mountains affording a route through

4. a gorge or ravine

5. a divergence or difference; disparity

   there is a gap between his version of the event and hers

   the generation gap

6. electronics

   1. a break in a magnetic circuit that increases the inductance and saturation point of the circuit

   2. See spark gap

7. to remedy a deficiency

---

verb

1. (tr) to make a breach or opening in

Other Word Forms

• gapless adjective
• gappy adjective

Etymology

Origin of gap

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old Norse: “chasm”; akin to Old Norse gapa “to open the mouth wide” ( gape ( def. ) )

Example Sentences

To close that research gap, scientists examined data on 878 coastal fish representing 138 species caught by fishing communities around Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

From Science Daily

Tariff-related uncertainty was one of the many reasons for India's rising trade gap, falling rupee and a flight of foreign money from the country last year.

From BBC

She had a traumatic birth and realized there was a gap between “the Instagram version of motherhood” and “the reality that most moms are living,” she told Salon.

From Salon

As your story illustrates, the paper trail should be followed meticulously, particularly if there are notable gaps in the paper trail itself.

From MarketWatch

But the law leaves "significant gaps", Snapchat said, arguing that age estimation technology was only accurate to within two to three years.

From Barron's

Related Words

• chasm
• crack
• cut
• difference
• disagreement
• disparity
• divergence
• divide
• division
• hole
• inconsistency
• rift
• void