Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VA'CAN-CY, n. [L. vacans, from vaco, to be empty; Fr. vacance; It. vacanza; Sp. vacancia; W. gwag; Heb. בק; to empty. Class Bg, No. 28.]

1. Empty space; vacuity. [In this sense, vacuity is now generally used.] – Shak.
2. Chasm; void space between bodies or objects; as, a vacancy between two beams or boards in a building; a vacancy between two buildings; a vacancy between words in a writing. – Watts.
3. The state of being destitute of an incumbent; want of the regular officer to officiate in a place. Hence also it signifies the office, post or benefice which is destitute of an incumbent; as, a vacancy in a parish; vacancies in the treasury or war office. There is no vacancy on the bench of the supreme court.
4. Time of leisure; freedom from employment; intermission of business. Those little vacancies from toils are sweet. – Dryden.
5. Listlessness; emptiness of thought. – Wotton.
6. A place or office not occupied, or destitute of a person to fill it; as, a vacancy in a school.