in Philosophy, denotes a space devoid of all matter or body.

It has been greatly disputed whether there be in nature a perfect vacuum, or space void of all matter; but if bodies consist of material solid atoms, it is evident that there must be vacancies, or motion would be impossible (see METAPHYSICS, No. 193.). We can even produce something very near a vacuum in the receiver of an air-pump and in the Torricellian tube (see PNEUMATICS, passim).