vacuum
in a vacuum
In total isolation; having no interaction with or connection to other people, places, or actions. Your actions don't occur in a vacuum; they affect everyone else here, too! Being in such a remote, rural town can sometimes feel like living in a vacuum.
See also: vacuum
nature abhors a vacuum
Any absence of a regular or expected person or thing will soon be filled by someone or something similar. Based on Aristotle's observation that no true vacuums exist in nature (on Earth) because the difference in pressure results in an immediate force that acts to correct the equilibrium. Nature abhors a vacuum, and in such a manner so too does the corporate hierarchy. Either the vacuum left by a departing manager or executive must be filled immediately, or the company risks languishing and eventually imploding. A live presentation cannot cope with dead, silent air time, in the same manner that nature abhors a vacuum.
See also: nature, vacuum
vacuum out
1. To clean dirt or debris out (of something or some place) with a vacuum cleaner. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vacuum" and "out." With two toddlers, it feels like I'm vacuuming crumbs out of my car nearly every week. I tried to vacuum out most of the dirt, but some of it has gotten caked onto the inside of the tub.
2. To rid something or some place of dirt or debris by cleaning it with a vacuum cleaner. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vacuum" and "out." Make sure you vacuum out your car before you go pick up your mom from the airport. Please vacuum the room out after you have removed all your belongings.
3. By extension, to remove something (from some place or someone's possession) completely and very quickly. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vacuum" and "out." These loan sharks start vacuuming money out of your account if you don't repay what you borrow as soon as possible. Big cities like this one would become incredibly eerie if you were to vacuum out all the people out of them.
See also: out, vacuum
vacuum up
1. To gather up dirt or debris with a vacuum cleaner. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vacuum" and "up." With two toddlers, it feels like I'm always vacuuming up crumbs all over the house. I tried to vacuum up most of the dirt, but some of it has gotten caked into the rug.
2. To collect, obtain, or steal a large number or amount of something very rapidly, especially in a secret or inconspicuous manner. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vacuum" and "up." The company has been vacuuming up properties all over town to build more apartment complexes. The malware runs on your computer in the background and vacuums up all your personal information.
3. To consume a large amount of food or drink very rapidly. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vacuum" and "up." The kids came in from the playground and vacuumed up their lunch. You're going to feel awful tomorrow if you keep vacuuming beer up like that.
See also: up, vacuum
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
Nature abhors a vacuum.
Prov. If there is a gap, something will fill it. Jill: As soon as the beggar who used to work that corner left, another one showed up. Jane: Nature abhors a vacuum.
See also: nature, vacuum
vacuum something out
to clean an enclosed area out with a vacuum cleaner. Please vacuum this car out now! Can you vacuum out the car?
See also: out, vacuum
vacuum something up (from something)
to clean something up from something with a vacuum cleaner. Fred vacuumed the dirt up from the carpet. He vacuumed up the birdseed from the kitchen floor.
See also: up, vacuum
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
in a vacuum
COMMON If something exists or happens in a vacuum, it seems to exist or happen separately from the things that you would expect it to be connected with. Property values do not exist in a vacuum. The market value of a house can fall if the biggest employer in town closes or a noisy club opens next door. Such decisions do not occur in a political vacuum, but have serious political implications both at home and abroad.
See also: vacuum
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
do something in a ˈvacuum
do something alone or separately from other people, events, etc., especially when there should be a connection: No novel is written in a vacuum. There are always influences from past writers.See also: something, vacuum
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
nature abhors a vacuum
Empty spaces are usually filled. This seemingly very scientific statement actually was first made by Rabelais in Gargantua (1534), in Latin: Natura abhorret vacuum; Rabelais later repeated it in French in Pantagruel (1548). A century later Thomas Fuller also stated, “Queen Joan . . . (hating widowhood as much as nature doth vacuum) married James, King of Majorca.”
See also: nature, vacuum
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- do something in a vacuum
- in a vacuum
- shoot (oneself) in the foot
- shoot in the foot
- shoot oneself in the foot
- shoot yourself in the foot
- between
- between (someone or something) and (someone or something else)
- left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing
- hindsight is (always) 20/20