Also 6 vacantie, 7 Sc. vaccancy. [f. VACANT a. (see -ANCY), or ad. late and med.L. vacantia (Sp. and Pg. vacancia, It. vacanza), f. vacant-, vacans vacant. Cf. prec.]
I. 1. = VACATION 2. Also in pl. Now arch.
c. 1580. W. Spelman, Dialoge (1896), 6. There I contynued my sute untill the tyme of ther vacantie in the Lawe.
1633. W. Robinson, in Rigaud, Corr. Sci. Men (1841), I. 18. He is to come this vacancy into Lincolnshire about business of his own.
1679. Trials of White & other Jesuits, 62. Joseph. He was [absent] in the time of the Vacancy…. L. C. J. When are the Vacancies? Joseph. In August, my Lord.
1702. Marwood, Diary, in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., VII. 134. To-day the Vacancys of the lower Classe began, and end at St Luke.
1703. in Ritchie, Churches of St. Baldred, 128. He must not grant the vacancie without acquainting the session.
1780. Stiles, Diary (1901), II. 409. At the End of the Vacancy 1744 Mr. Reed carried his 3 pupils … to enter into Harv[ard] College.
1876. Grant, Burgh Sch. Scot., II. v. 182. Besides the half and occasional holiday two annual ‘plays,’ or ‘vacancies,’ have of old been granted to the scholar.
1876. in A. J. C. Hare, Story of my Life (1896), IV. 412. They are having their vacancies.
† b. Without article. Obs. rare.
1643. in Fasti Aberd. (1854), 421. The porter … shall attend the colledge for saving the fabrick, both in tyme of play and vacancie.
1691. trans. Emiliane’s Observ. Journ. Naples, 15. Every year in Autumn they have two Months of vacancy.
† 2. Temporary freedom or cessation from business or some usual occupation. Also const. from.
1599. Broughton’s Let., vii. 21. His assiduous reading in any vacancie from busines.
1602. Segar, Hon. Mil. & Civ., IV. xxi. For he that hath been longest vacant may take place before him that is lesse ancient in Vacancie.
c. 1630. Milton (title), On the University Carrier who sickn’d in the time of his vacancy, being forbid to go to London, by reason of the Plague.
1663. Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xxix. (1668), 337. He did not find so much vacancy as his heart desired for private Prayer.
1775. Johnson, Lett. (1788), I. 291. Air, and vacancy, and novelty, would … afford all the relief that human art can give.
† b. Free or unoccupied time; leisure. Obs.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., I. iv. 26. If he fill’d His vacancie with his Voluptuousnesse.
a. 1628. Preston, Breastpl. Love (1631), 114. So occupied with outward things abroad, that they have no vacancie to feed their souls within.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., To Rdr. This Work … has taken me up the vacancy of above Twenty years.
† c. An interval of leisure or unoccupied time.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 305. Daies of nothing, but Riots, visits … and such like Exiles from themselves, and vacancies from the businesse of life.
1676. Hale, Contempl., I. Redempt. Time, 21. An industrious Husband-man, Trades-man, Scholar, will never want business for occasional vacancies and horæ subcisivæ.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., IV. xx. § 3. There are none so enslav’d to the necessities of life, who might not find many vacancies that might be husbanded to this advantage of their knowledg.
1748. in Welsh Rev., Feb. (1892), 350. Filled in ye vacancies of ye day with work.
3. The state or condition of being free from or unoccupied with work, business, or action; absence of occupation; idleness; inactivity.
Freq. in the 17th c.; now rare.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., I. 64. Chesse,… a sport that agreeth well with their sedentary vacancie.
1651. Hobbes, Govt. & Soc., xii. § 10. They who are least troubled with caring for necessary things … are invited by their vacancy sometimes to disputation among themselves concerning the Commonweal.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, Pref. Having about three Years since, and in the Vacancy of a Country Life, taken this Volume in hand.
1782. W. Heberden, Comment., xiii. (1806), 78. Nor does the vacancy of a Bath life suit complaints.
1818. Coleridge, in Lit. Rem. (1836), I. 200. The source of the common fondness for novels of this sort rests in that dislike of vacancy and that love of sloth … inherent in the human mind.
1818. Byron, Ch. Har., IV. vi. Such is the refuge of our youth and age, The first from Hope, the last from Vacancy.
† b. Const. from. (Freq. in 17th cent.) Obs.
1615. Jackson, Creed, III. Pref. A 3 b. God … blesse me outwardly with that measure of health, of vacancy from other businesse [etc.].
1631. Byfield, Doctr. Sabb., 143. A precise vacancy from all worke … is morall.
1690. Norris, Beatitudes (1692), 80. Implying, that a Vacancy from Wrath is a necessary Qualification for Prayer.
1712. Spect., No. 408, ¶ 8. An absolute Indifference and Vacancy from all Passion.
† c. Freedom from mental preoccupation. Obs.
1752. Johnson, Rambler, No. 204, ¶ 13. Nor was he able to disengage his attention, or mingle with vacancy and ease in any amusement.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, V. 293. Her pliant mind, in this state of vacancy, had readily been bent to the new pursuit.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. I. iii. ‘Every evening at six’ … [they] walk majestically out again, to embroidery, small-scandal, prayers, and vacancy.
1856. Aytoun, Bothwell, II. i. The fishers … whistle o’er their lazy task In happy vacancy.
d. Absence of any determining influence or factor. rare–1.
1754. Edwards, Freed. Will, II. vii. (1762), 64. The Will’s Freedom consists in … this Vacancy and Opportunity that is left for the Will itself to be the Determiner of the Act.
II. † 4. An unoccupied period or interval; a time of absence of some activity. Obs.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., V. i. 90. For three months before, (No int’rim, not a minutes vacancie,) Both day and night did we keepe companie.
1625. T. Godwin, Moses & Aaron, I. (1641), 2. In these vacancies or distances of time, between Iudge and Judge.
1663. Heath, Flagellum (1672), 32. In so long an interval and vacancy of War, from which this Nation had been blessed.
5. The fact or condition of an office or post being, becoming, or falling vacant; an occasion or occurrence of this.
1607. in Hist. Wakefield Gram. Sch. (1892), 59. Within foure daies of the vacancie knowen.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 197. They began a new Custom, which was, That they would in Vacancies, name the Captains, and other inferiour Officers under their Pay.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. ii. 172. No candidate shall, after the date … of the writs, or after the vacancy, give any money or entertainment to his electors.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), III. 35. A sale of an advowson, the church being actually void, was simoniacal and void in respect to the then present vacancy.
1896. Law Times Rep., C. 408/1. With reference to the vacancy among the Chancery taxing masters.
b. Const. of (an office, position, etc.).
1610. G. Carleton, Jurisdict., 2. That power whereby we succeed the Emperour in the vacancie of the Empire.
1659. H. L’Estrange, Alliance Div. Off., 321. As did the Clergy of Rome also in the vaca[n]cy of that Sea determine.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 77, note. Zornesan Mustapha Basha made Keeper of the Seal during the vacancy of the Charge of Grand Visier.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 129. In the Vacancy of a Bishoprick, the Guardian of the Spiritualities was summon’d to Parliament in the Bishop’s Room.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. 152. The vacancy of the throne was precedent to their meeting without any royal summons.
c. An instance or occasion of land, a tenancy, etc., being or becoming vacant. rare.
1809. Christian, in Blackstone’s Comm., II. 9. It cannot be said that in such a case there is ever a vacancy of possession.
1845. Polson, Eng. Law, in Encycl. Metrop., II. 827/1. The maxim … that the tenancy of the land should always be filled, and that the tenant could make no disposition of his interest likely to involve a vacancy in the same tenancy.
6. A vacant or unoccupied office, post, or dignity.
1693. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), III. 81. Mounsieur Catinat … has sent 250 officers to throw themselves into the towne to supply the vacancies of those that were sick and dead there.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 21. He shall force a Rupture with some one of his Lieutenants to make a Vacancy for him.
1769. Junius’ Lett., iii. (1788), 46. His military cares have never extended beyond the disposal of vacancies.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., x. II. 638. How could there be an election without a vacancy?
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., IV. 286. More than twenty vacancies in the order of the Golden Fleece were placed by him at Henry’s disposal.
b. A church without an incumbent or minister.
1867. J. Macfarlane, Mem. T. Archer, I. 17. The ‘vacancies’ sought after him.
7. Absence or lack of something. rare.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. xiii. 269. Jordan, in the vacancy of the inhabitants, having got violent possession, fenced and fortified himself in the slime pits.
1805. Foster, Ess., III. i. II. 11. With this cast of significance, and vacancy of sense, it is allowed to depreciate without being accountable.
III. 8. Empty or void space.
1602. Shaks., Ham., III. iv. 117. Alas, how is’t with you? That you bend your eye on vacancie, And with the incorporall ayre do hold discourse. Ibid. (1606), Ant. & Cl., II. ii. 221. Th’ ayre: which but for vacancie, Had gone to gaze on Cleopater too, And made a gap in Nature.
1813. Byron, Corsair, I. xv. The tender blue of that large loving eye Grew frozen with its gaze on vacancy.
1827. Syd. Smith, Wks. (1867), II. 134. To roar and bellow No Popery to Vacancy and the Moon.
1854. J. S. C. Abbott, Napoleon (1855), II. x. 164. Folding his arms upon his breast, with his eyes fixed upon vacancy, he stood in gloomy silence.
1899. F. T. Bullen, Way Navy, 79. Meanwhile the ‘Mersey’ came up out of vacancy at her best speed.
9. A vacant, unfilled, or unoccupied space; an open space between objects or things, or in a row or series; a breach, gap, or opening; † an unoccupied or uninhabited piece of ground.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 18. In the case of those who first inhabited Vacancies; or who became possess’t by right of War and Conquest.
1670. W. Perwich, Desp. (1903), 90. As soon as ever he passed the great vacancy, he went to see the Cittadell.
1690. Leybourn, Curs. Math., 901. In measuring of Roofing, seldom any deductions are made for … the Vacancies for Lutheren Lights, and Sky-Lights.
1726. R. Bradley, Country Gentl. Monthly Director, 3. In places where there are Vacancies in Hedges, set Truncheons, or Twigs of the White Sallow.
1744. M. Bishop, Life & Adv., 209. It [i.e., gun-fire] soon broke us in a terrible manner, though our Vacancies were quickly filled up.
1779. Forrest, Voy. N. Guinea, 20. Their saddles have in the middle a vacancy, which must make it easy for the horse.
1820. Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., I. 55. Small vacancies in the ice would not prevent the journey.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Note-bks. (1872), I. 20. This great arch … with the lofty vacancy beneath it.
1905. Westm. Gaz., 26 Jan., 1/3. The closing of the fontanelle, or the ‘vacancy’ in the infant cranium.
b. transf. A blank, gap, or deficiency.
1759. Johnson, Rasselas, i. Every one … in the valley was required to propose whatever might contribute to fill up the vacancies of attention, and lessen the tediousness of time.
1846. Landor, Imag. Conv., Wks. I. 2. Visions of reluctant homage from crowned heads … have passed away from me, and leave no vacancy.
1856. Dove, Logic Chr. Faith, V. ii. 317. Without revelation there would be a distinct vacancy in the scheme of knowledge.
10. The state or condition of being vacant, empty, or unoccupied; emptiness.
1788. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xlv. IV. 453. He contemplated with horror the vacancy and solitude of the city.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, I. 214. Such is the vacancy of dissipated pleasure, that … an opening always remains for something yet to be tried.
1817. J. Scott, Paris Revisit. (ed. 4), 52. The dullest country town in England can afford no idea of the stillness and vacancy of the several noble-looking cities.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xix. Quentin felt a strange vacancy and chillness of the heart.
1878. Stewart & Tait, Unseen Univ., i. § 12. 31. When David or Hezekiah shrank from the gloomy vacancy of the grave.
b. Lack of intelligence; inanity; vacuity.
1841. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, v. Where in his face there was wildness and vacancy, in hers there was … patient composure. Ibid. (1866), Boy at Rugby, Christm. Stories (1874), 332. He is a smiling piece of vacancy.
