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void

n. · adj. · v.
US //ˈvɔɪd// UK //vˈɔɪd// void
  1. 1 an empty space (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a large, empty space or a feeling of great sadness because something is missing.

    an empty space or vacuum; figuratively, a feeling of significant loss or emptiness following a departure or death.

    Example

    After her best friend moved away, she felt a huge void in her life.

    Example

    The sudden resignation of the CEO left a power void that several ambitious executives immediately attempted to fill.
  2. 2 a black cat (n.)
    C1 Advanced Humorous Informal Slang

    a funny way to describe a black cat because they look like a dark shape with eyes.

    a humorous, internet-slang term for a black cat, referencing its visual similarity to a dark, featureless silhouette.

    Example

    I couldn't see my cat in the dark room until the little void opened his eyes.

    Example

    The subreddit is dedicated entirely to photos of 'voids'—black cats that blend so perfectly into shadows that only their glowing eyes are visible.
    • black cat
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  1. 3 space without galaxies (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    a very large area in space that contains almost no stars or galaxies.

    a vast region of space containing few or no galaxies, situated between filaments of the cosmic web.

    Example

    Astronomers are studying a massive void that seems to be empty of galaxies.

    Example

    The Boötes void is one of the largest known celestial gaps, challenging current models of how the universe distributed matter after the Big Bang.
  2. 4 not legally valid (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    having no legal power; not official or binding.

    having no legal force or binding effect; null and incapable of being enforced.

    Example

    The contract became void because it was never signed by the manager.

    Example

    The judge ruled the agreement null and void, citing the fact that one party had signed under significant duress.
  3. 5 lacking something (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    completely without something, especially a good quality.

    entirely lacking or free from something; typically used with the preposition 'of'.

    Example

    The desert landscape was beautiful but void of any signs of water.

    Example

    His face remained void of emotion even as the jury read the guilty verdict aloud to the silent courtroom.
  4. 6 returning no value (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    used in computer code to show that a function does not send back any data.

    denoting a function or method that does not return a value to its caller.

    Example

    The programmer defined the function as void because it only prints text to the screen.

    Example

    In C++, the void keyword is used to specify that a function performs an action but does not return a result to the calling routine.

  5. 7 to cancel or empty (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical

    to make something invalid or to empty out waste from the body.

    to nullify a legal document; also used in medical contexts to mean the discharge of waste, such as urine.

    Example

    The bank had to void the check because the amount was written incorrectly.

    Example

    The patient was asked to void into a sterile container so the laboratory could perform a full urinalysis.

    Usage

    In a medical context, it is often used as an intransitive verb meaning to urinate.
Etymology 1

From Middle English voide, voyde, from Old French vuit, voide, vuide (modern vide), in turn from Vulgar Latin *vocitum, ultimately from Latin vacuus.

Etymology 2

Alteration of voidee.

Idioms1 entry

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