gap

/ɡæp/
noun
  1. An empty space or opening in something that is usually continuous.
    • There was a gap in the fence where the dog could escape.
    • She squeezed through a narrow gap between the rocks.
    • The child lost a tooth, leaving a gap in her smile.
  2. A difference or disparity between two things, such as in age, knowledge, or ability.
    • There is a wide gap in income between the rich and the poor.
    • The generation gap between parents and teenagers can cause misunderstandings.
    • The teacher worked hard to close the learning gap in her classroom.
  3. A period of time when something is missing or not happening.
    • He took a gap year after high school to travel.
    • There was a gap of several minutes between the two phone calls.
    • The historian found a gap in the records from that decade.
verb
  1. To create or have a gap or opening.
    • The earthquake caused the ground to gap open.
    • His shirt gaped at the buttons because it was too tight.
    • The old wooden floorboards had gaped over time.
What does "gap" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean