gap

«gap» in Mova's school dictionary: an empty space or opening between two things: a gap in a… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (gap, gaps)

meaning for a pupil

1) A gap is an empty space or opening between two things: a gap in a fence, a gap between your teeth. tree →

2) A gap is a difference between two amounts or groups: «the gap between the scores». tree →

3) A gap is a time when something stops: «a gap of two weeks». tree →

4) A gap in what you know is a part you have not learned yet. tree →

sense in the lessons

In school maths: a space between posts, trees or marks; equal gaps along a line (gaps = things − 1 on a line, gaps = things on a circle); the difference between two numbers or scores. In everyday life and safety: «Mind the gap» between the train and the platform; a gap in the hedge. Phrases: «mind the gap», «fill the gap», «gap-toothed», «close the gap».

examples

• There are 4 gaps between 5 trees. tree →
• Each gap is 3 metres. tree →
• The gap between the two scores is 12 points. tree →
• How many gaps are in a fence with 8 posts? tree →
• The dog got out through a gap in the fence. tree →
• «Mind the gap» means watch the space between the train and the platform. tree →
• Fill the gaps in the sentences with the right words. tree →
• She has a gap where her front tooth fell out. tree →

note

Countable: «a gap», «gaps». «Fill in the gaps» is a common school task. Maths: gaps and things differ: on a line, gaps = things − 1; on a circle they are equal. Trap: length ÷ gap size gives the number of gaps, not of posts.

In the corpora

• Stories grow because people fill gaps with guesses, round numbers up, and add a twist that makes the tale better to tell.
• Recorder players cover the holes with the soft, flat pads of their fingers, because hard fingertips leave gaps that make squeaks.
• When you graze your knee, blood dries into a scab that seals the gap like a plaster while new skin grows underneath.
• A finger space is a gap about one finger wide between words.
• Rips often look like a calmer, darker gap where fewer waves break.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «gap» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.