gaps

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of gap.

   Cold air poured in through the gaps around the window frames.

   The report identified several gaps in the company's safety procedures.

   Note

   A regular plural, made with a plain -s, that carries every meaning of the singular: openings and breaches, passages through, stretches of empty time, pauses, and shortfalls. The abstract uses pair naturally with in (gaps in a schedule, gaps in coverage), and the physical ones with around, between or through. The identical spelling is also the verb's present-tense form, so after a singular subject it is a verb, not a noun.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of gap.

   The mechanic gaps every new plug to the exact width the manual specifies.

   The blouse gaps between the buttons, so she wears a camisole underneath.

   Note

   Here the -s marks a singular subject in the present tense. Most uses take an object: notching a blade, breaching a wall, or setting the width of a spark plug. One use takes none and describes something falling or spilling open on its own. Two slang meanings share the same form: beating a rival by a wide margin, and, in New Zealand, leaving suddenly.

Showing meanings only. Show all 2