gapping

noun Linguistics.

1. a rule of transformational grammar by which repeated instances of a verb are deleted from conjoined sentences, as in the deletion of brought from Mary brought the bread, John the cheese, and Bill the wine.

noun

1. a break or opening, as in a fence, wall, or military line; breach: We found a gap in the enemy’s line of fortifications.
2. an empty space or interval; interruption in continuity; hiatus: a momentary gap in a siren’s wailing; a gap in his memory.
3. a wide divergence or difference; disparity: the gap between expenses and income; the gap between ideals and actions.
4. a difference or disparity in attitudes, perceptions, character, or development, or a lack of confidence or understanding, perceived as creating a problem: the technology gap; a communications gap.
5. a deep, sloping ravine or cleft through a mountain ridge.
6. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a mountain pass: the Cumberland Gap.
7. Aeronautics. the distance between one supporting surface of an airplane and another above or below it.

verb (used with object), gapped, gap·ping.

8. to make a gap, opening, or breach in.

verb (used without object), gapped, gap·ping.

9. to come open or apart; form or show a gap.

noun

1. (in transformational grammar) a rule that deletes repetitions of a verb, as in the sentence Bill voted for Smith, Sam for McKay, and Dave for Harris
2. the act or practice of taking a gap year

noun

1. a break or opening in a wall, fence, etc
2. a break in continuity; interruption; hiatusthere is a serious gap in the accounts
3. a break in a line of hills or mountains affording a route through
4. mainly US a gorge or ravine
5. a divergence or difference; disparitythere is a gap between his version of the event and hers; the generation gap
6. electronics
   1. a break in a magnetic circuit that increases the inductance and saturation point of the circuit
   2. See spark gap
7. bridge a gap, close a gap, fill a gap or stop a gap to remedy a deficiency

verb gaps, gapping or gapped

8. (tr) to make a breach or opening in

n.

early 14c. (mid-13c. in place names), from Old Norse gap “chasm,” related to gapa “to gape,” from PIE *ghai- “to yawn, gape” (see yawn (v.)). Originally “hole in a wall or hedge;” broader sense is 16c. In U.S., common in place names in reference to a break or pass in a long mountain chain (especially one that water flows through). As a verb from 1847.

n.

1. An opening in a structure or surface; a cleft or breach.
2. An interval or discontinuity in any series or sequence.