adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
vacuus
vacuus (feminine vacua, neuter vacuum, superlative vacuissimus, adverb vacuē)
Classical[ˈwa.ku.ʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈvaː.ku.us]
№ 673 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- adjectiveempty, vacant, unoccupied
Fēmina dīxit pōculum vacuum esse.
The woman said that the cup was empty.Terra autem erat inānis et vacua, et tenebrae erant super faciem abyssī et spīritus Deī ferēbātur super aquās.
And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters.c. 347 CE – 420 CE, Hieronymus, Vulgate Genesis.1.2 - adjectivedevoid or free of; without
- adjectivefree; unoccupied
- adjectivefree; unmarried, single
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
in quō nihil est.vacuus -a -um — in Mille Verba, Templum Graecum
inānis, sine rēvacuus -a -um — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 16
inānis, sine dōnōvacuus -a -um — in Evangelium secundum Marcum, ch. 18
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Inanis · Vacuus
Inanis (from ἰνάω) means the emptiness of that which has been full, but is now without its contents, in opp. to plenus, Cic. Orat. i. 9, 37. Parad. 6, 1. Brut. 8, 34; whereas vacuus denotes the emptiness of that which may be filled, but is at present vacant, in opp. to occupatus, Tac. Hist. iv. 17; or to obsessus, Cic. N. T. i. 24. Tac. Ann. vi. 34. Jason post avectam Medeam genitosque ex ea liberos inanem mox regiam Æetæ vacuosque Colchos repetivit; that is, the palace deserted and desolate, and the people without a governor. Figuratively, inane means a nullity; vacuum, a vacancy. (i. 100.)
Declension
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | vacuus | vacua | vacuum |
| genitive | vacuī | vacuae | vacuī |
| dative | vacuō | vacuae | vacuō |
| accusative | vacuum | vacuam | vacuum |
| ablative | vacuō | vacuā | vacuō |
| vocative | vacue | vacua | vacuum |
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | vacuī | vacuae | vacua |
| genitive | vacuōrum | vacuārum | vacuōrum |
| dative | vacuīs | vacuīs | vacuīs |
| accusative | vacuōs | vacuās | vacua |
| ablative | vacuīs | vacuīs | vacuīs |
| vocative | vacuī | vacuae | vacua |
văcŭus, a, um, adj. vaco,
I. empty, void, free, clear, devoid of, without something (freq. and class.; cf. inanis.)
I. In gen.
A. Lit., in material sense.
(a). Absol.:
spatium vacuum, Lucr. 1, 523; cf. id. 1, 394; 1, 509: vacua castra, Caes. B. G. 7, 45: perque domos Ditis vacuas et inania regna, Verg. A. 6, 269: atria, id. ib. 7, 379; 2, 528: porticus, id. ib. 2, 761: videntur Aëra per vacuum ferri, id. G. 3, 109: Acerrae, unpeopled, id. ib. 2, 225: Cumae, Juv. 3, 2: Ulubrae, id. 10, 102: agri, Verg. G. 2, 54: aurae, id. A. 12, 592: caelum, id. ib. 5, 515: oppida, Auct. B. Afr. 9: aliquam partem aedium vacuam facere, Liv. 39, 14, 2: aër, Hor. C. 1, 3, 34: theatrum, id. Ep. 2, 2, 130: aula, id. C. 4, 14, 36: tabellae, Quint. 10, 3, 32: numerus peditum in vicem prolapsorum equitum vacuos capientium ad pugnam equos, Liv. 44, 26, 3: lectus, Prop. 2, 2, 1: Ov. M. 11, 471: per vacuum locum inruperunt, Liv. 25, 3, 18: manus, Quint. 11, 2, 42: ossa vacuis exsucta medullis, Juv. 8, 90: si vacuo ventre mulier fuit, not pregnant (opp. plenus), Dig. 29, 2, 84: vultus, without eyes, Sen. Oedip. 1012.—(b). With abl.:
nihil igni vacuum videri potest, Cic. Univ. 4: gladium vaginā vacuum in urbe non vidimus, id. Marcell. 6, 17: moenia defensoribus, Liv. 42, 63, 6: viae occursu hominum, id. 5, 41, 5: cultoribus agri, Ov. M. 7, 653: ense ebur, id. ib. 4, 148: arvum arboribus, Col. 3, 11, 3: loca fetu in vite, id. 3, 10, 5: pectus velamine, Stat. Th. 1, 593.—(g). With ab and abl.:
Messana ab his rebus...vacua ac nuda est, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 2, § 3: oppidum vacuum ab defensoribus, without, Caes. B. G. 2, 12: pars Galliae ab exercitu, Hirt. B. G. 8, 46: vacuum ab hostibus mare, Liv. 37, 13, 6.—(d). With gen. (rare; mostly poet.):
ager aridus et frugum vacuus, Sall. J. 90, 1: Romana urbs annonae, Mamert. Grat. Act. ad Julian. 14.—b. Subst.: vă-cŭum, i, n., an empty space, an open or vacant place, a void, vacuity:
vacuum minus intus habere, Lucr. 1, 367: in vacuum poterunt se extendere rami, Verg. G. 2, 287: ne per vacuum incurreret hostis, Hor. S. 2, 1, 37: libera per vacuum posui vestigia princeps, Hor. Ep. 1, 19, 21.—B. Transf., free from, clear, devoid of, without.
(a). With abl.:
animus per somnum sensibus et curis vacuus, Cic. Div. 2, 11, 27: molestiis, id. Fam. 4, 4, 2: cupiditate et timore, id. Fin. 2, 10, 30: consilium periculo, id. Att. 10, 16, 2: cum vacui curis etiam quid in caelo fiat scire avemus, id. Fin. 2, 14, 46: vacui negotiis vivere possimus, id. ib. 4, 5, 12: his rebus mens vacua, id. Tusc. 3, 4, 9: vacuus duellis Janus, Hor. C. 4, 15, 8: crimine nox vacua est, Ov. F. 4, 581: ille metu vacuus, id. M. 3, 582: nullum tempus sterile et vacuum beneficio, Plin. Pan. 56, 2: aemulatione, Tac. A. 12, 2: curā domesticā vacuus, id. H. 1, 88: tali culpā, id. A. 6, 16: tributo, id. ib. 12, 61: vacuam laboribus egi vitam, Ov. Tr. 5, 3, 9.—(b). With ab and abl.:
Mamertini soli vacui, expertes, soluti ac liberi fuerunt ab omni sumptu, molestiā, munere, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 10, § 23: a securibus et tributis, Tac. A. 12, 34; 12, 61: hora nulla vacua a furto, a scelere, crudelitate, flagitio reperietur, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 12, § 34: nullus dies ab exercitationibus oratoriis, id. Brut. 90, 309: animus a talibus factis vacuus et integer, id. Inv. 2, 7, 24: cum ab omni molestiā vacuus esses, id. Fam. 11, 16, 1: domus a suspitione religionis vacua atque pura, id. Har. Resp. 6, 11: ab odio, amicitiā, irā atque misericordiā, Sall. C. 51, 1: a culpa, id. ib. 14, 4: censores vacui ab operum locandorun; curā, Liv. 24, 18, 1.—(g). With gen.:
vacuas caedis habete manus, Ov. A. A. 1, 642: operum vacuus, Hor. S. 2, 2, 119: vacuas habuissem criminis umbras, Ov. M. 6, 541: composuit ad Caesarem litteras, quasi confecto bello verbis magnificas, rerum vacuas, Tac. A. 15, 8.—(d). With dat. of that for which room or a vacancy exists or is made:
Aruns Tarquinius et Tullia minor, prope continuatis funeribus cum domos vacuas novo matrimonio fecissent, junguntur, Liv. 1, 46, 9: necato filio vacuam domum scelestis nuptiis fecisse, Sall. C. 15, 2: quanto molimine circumspectemus vacuam Romanis vatibus aedem (Apollinis), Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 94.—Subst.: văcŭum, i, n., leisure: aliquid invenire vacui, Quint. 10, 6, 1.—II. In partic. (cf. vaco, II.).
A. Free from labor or occupation, without business, at leisure, clear, disengaged, unoccupied, idle:
quoniam vacui sumus, dicam, Cic. Leg. 1, 4, 13: si es animo vacuo, expone nobis quod quaerimus ... hunc elegimus diem, cum te sciremus esse vacuum, id. Brut. 5, 20: animus vacuus ac solutus, Cic. Verr. 1, 9, 26: aures vacuae atque eruditae, Quint. 10, 1, 32: aures, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 26; Ov. M. 4, 41; 12, 56: pedibus vacuis terere Porticum, id. A. A. 1, 491: si quid vacui sub umbrā Lusimus, Hor. C. 1, 32, 1: cetera, quae vacuas tenuissent carmine mentes, Verg. G. 3, 3: ne vacuum esse me nunc ad narrandum credas, Ter. And. 4, 2, 23: ut animum vacuum ad res difficiles scribendas afferam, Cic. Att. 12, 38, 3: cum per tot menses vacuā civitate nemo controversiam fecerit, Liv. 3, 40, 10.—Sup.: nec rursus jubeo, dum sit vacuissima quaeras, Ov. P. 3, 1, 141.—Poet., transf., of places in which to lounge or enjoy leisure, quiet, peaceful, undisturbed, etc.: Tibur, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 45: Athenae, id. ib. 2, 2, 81: tonsoris in umbrā, id. ib. 1, 7, 50 (cf.: otiosa Neapolis, id. Epod. 5, 43).—Rarely of persons, free from care, calm, composed: Rutilius animo vacuus, i. e. careless, without apprehension, Sall. J. 52, 6: haud animi vacuus, quiet, Stat. Th. 5, 644: cantamus vacui, sive quid urimur, Hor. C. 1, 6, 19; so of one free from love, id. ib. 1, 5, 10.—Of female animals, not bearing young: equa, Col. 6, 37, 10.—Impers.: vacuum est, with inf., there is leisure, time, Sall. H. 1, 10; Tac. H. 2, 28.—B. Of time, free, vacant, disengaged, leisure:
etiam si spatium ad dicendum nostro commodo vacuosque dies habuissemus, Cic. Verr. 1, 17, 56: cum vacui temporis nihil haberem, id. Att. 2, 23, 1: vacuam noctem operi dedere, Liv. 3, 28, 7: tempora, Col. 12, 4, 1; cf. Luc. 3, 26.—C. Of women, free, unmarried, single:
ubi mulier vacua fuit, Tac. A. 13, 44: vacuis indicere nuptias, Pseudo - Quint. Decl. 376: Hersilia, i. e. widowed, Ov. M. 14, 831.—D. Of possessions, free, vacant, without an occupant or master:
vacuam possessionem regni sperans, Caes. B. C. 3, 112: prudentiae doctrinaeque possessio ... quasi caduca atque vacua, Cic. de Or. 3, 31, 122: centuria, id. Tull. § 17: sese praedia vacua filio traditurum, id. Rosc. Am. 9, 26: vacuam rempublicam tradere Hannibali, Liv. 23, 2, 7: ut impetus fiat in vacuam rempublicam, Sall. C. 52, 23: sacerdotia ut vacua contulit in alios, Tac. A. 6, 40; cf.: Syriam provinciam vacuam tum morte Atilii Rufi, id. Agr. 40: vacua Armenia, without a ruler, id. A. 12, 50: bona, Dig. 38, 9, 1, § 12: possessio, ib. 41, 3, 4, § 22; Gai Inst. 4, 131.— Subst.: văcŭum, i, n.: si quis casus puerum egerit Orco, In vacuum venias, into the vacant property, Hor. S. 2, 5, 50: ut in vacuum lege praeditoriā venalis pependerit, Suet. Claud. 9; cf. Quint. 12, 9, 8.—E. Without value, worthless, useless, empty, vain, unprofitable, = vanus (rare;
not anteAug.): si respublica et senatus et populus vacua nomina sunt, Tac. H. 1, 30: rem, Petr. 102: vacua et inanis productio verbi, Gell. 11, 15, 6: tollens vacuum plus nimio Gloria verticem, her empty head, Hor. C. 1, 18, 15: pecunia, unused, unproductive, Dig. 19, 5, 24; cf. ib. 16, 3, 28.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
vacuus adj. with sup.
cf. vaco, empty, void, unoccupied, vacant, free, clear, devoid of, without: castra, Cs.: Perque domos Ditis vacuas, V.: Aëra per vacuum ferri, V.: Acerrae, unpeopled, V.: agri, deserted, V.: partem aedium vacuam fecere, L.: aula, H.: equi, riderless, L.: lectus, O.: ossa vacuis exsucta medullis, Iu.: gladium vaginā vacuum in urbe non vidimus: defensoribus moenia, L.: cultoribus agri, O.: Messana ab his rebus: oppidum ab defensoribus, without, Cs.: ager frugum vacuus, S.—As subst n., an empty space, vaeant place, void, vacuity: in vacuum poterunt se extendere rami, V.: per vacuum incurrere, H.— Fig., free, freed, clear, devoid of, without: animus per somnum sensibus et curis vacuus: Crimine nox vacua est, O.: hora nulla vacua a furto reperietur: ab odio, S.: censores vacui ab operum locandorum curā, L.: vacuas caedis habete manūs, O.: operum vacuus, H.: cum domos vacuas novo matrimonio fecissent, L.—Free from labor, without business, at leisure, idle, clear, disengaged, unoccupied, not engrossed: quoniam vacui sumus, dicam: si es animo vacuo, expone: pedibus vacuis terere Porticum, O.: Cetera, quae vacuas tenuissent carmine mentes, V.: Rutilius animo vacuus, i. e. undisturbed, S.: Qui (te) semper vacuam sperat, i. e. heart-free, H.: Nec rursus iubeo, dum sit (domus Augusti) vacuissima, quaeras, i. e. till it is absolutely at leisure, O.—Of places, quiet, peaceful, undisturbed (poet.): Tibur, H.: tonsoris in umbrā, H.: mare, unguarded, Ta.—Of time, free, vacant, disengaged, leisure: vacuos dies habere: vacuam noctem operi dedere, L.—Of women, free, unmarried, single: Hersilia, i. e. widowed, O.: Elige de vacuis, among the single, O.—Of possessions, free, vacant, without occupant, unappropriated: possessio regni, Cs.: prudentiae doctrinaeque possessio: sese praedia vacua filio traditurum: Syriam provinciam vacuam tum morte Atilii Rufi, Ta.—As subst n.: si quis casus puerum egerit Orco, In vacuum venias, into the vacant property, H.—Empty, vain, worthless: tollens vacuum plus nimio Gloria verticem, H.
Origins
From Proto-Italic *wakowos. Equivalent to vacō (“to be empty, void”) + -uus (“adjective-forming suffix”).
Borrowed
- Catalanvacu
- Englishvacuous
- Englishvacuum
- Italianvacuo
- Portuguesevácuo
- Romanianvacuu
- Spanishvacuo
- Asturianvacu
- Proto-Brythonic*gwag
- Sicilianvàcuu
Inherited
- Portuguesevago
- Spanishvago
- Asturianvagu
- Galicianvougo
In English words that came into English from vacuus
- vacuumvacuum
- void*vocitum
- avoid*vocitāre
- vacuolevacuus
- vacuousvacuus
- vacuityvacuitās
- supervacuoussupervacuus
- vacuitousvacuus