The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ether \E"ther\ ([=e]"th[~e]r), n. [L. aether, Gr. a'iqh`r, fr. a'i`qein to light up, kindle, burn, blaze; akin to Skr. idh, indh, and prob. to E. idle: cf. F. ['e]ther.] [Written also [ae]ther.]
(Physics) A medium of great elasticity and extreme tenuity, once supposed to pervade all space, the interior of solid bodies not excepted, and to be the medium of transmission of light and heat; hence often called luminiferous ether. It is no longer believed that such a medium is required for the transmission of electromagnetic waves; the modern use of the term is mostly a figurative term for empty space, or for literary effect, and not intended to imply the actual existence of a physical medium. However. modern cosmological theories based on quantum field theory do not rule out the possibility that the inherent energy of the vacuum is greater than zero, in which case the concept of an ether pervading the vacuum may have more than metaphoric meaning.
Supposed matter above the air; the air itself.
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(Chem.)
A light, volatile, mobile, inflammable liquid, (C2H5)2O, of a characteristic aromatic odor, obtained by the distillation of alcohol with sulphuric acid, and hence called also sulphuric ether. It is a powerful solvent of fats, resins, and pyroxylin, but finds its chief use as an an[ae]sthetic. Commonly called ethyl ether to distinguish it from other ethers, and also ethyl oxide.
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Any similar compound in which an oxygen atom is bound to two different carbon atoms, each of which is part of an organic radical; as, amyl ether; valeric ether; methyl ethyl ether. The general formular for an ether is ROR', in which R and R' are organic radicals which may be of similar or different structure. If R and R' are different parts of the same organic radical, the structure forms a cyclic ether.
Complex ether, Mixed ether (Chem.), an ether in which the ether oxygen is attached to two radicals having different structures; as, ethyl methyl ether, C2H5.O.CH3.
Compound ether (Chem.), an ethereal salt or a salt of some hydrocarbon as the base; an ester.
Ether engine (Mach.), a condensing engine like a steam engine, but operated by the vapor of ether instead of by steam.
Wiktionary
n. 1 An unoccupied space where something may be stored 2 An unoccupied area or volume. 3 vacuum; a space containing nothing at all
Wikipedia
Empty space may refer to:
Empty Space is the thirty-second studio album by guitarist Buckethead and the second installment in the Buckethead Pikes series.
Empty Space is the seventh studio album by Lycia, released on 2003 by Silber Records.
Usage examples of "empty space".
A mile of lunar mountains is a long way but a trillion miles in empty space may not be.
Dane climbed down into the cargo hold, studying its empty space and making a few measurements of his own.
Between the table and the arms one quarter of an inch of empty space existed.
They had plunged through the heart of the planet as though it were nonexistent, had fallen through into blessedly empty space, and astern of them, more distant with every passing second, was the night side of Antrim.
Roger shoved a lever at his side, making the jet-boat deck airtight from the rest of the Polaris, and then, by pressing a button on the simple control board, a section of the Polaris' hull slipped back, exposing them to empty space.
Without ever stopping they cruised about the system, passed dead and uninhabited planets until they reached the empty space beyond the forty-third planet.
A hundred million miles of empty space isn't significant-if it's empty.
A hundred million miles of empty space isn't significantif it's empty.
The whole immense structure vanished, leaving men and boats in empty space.
Within seconds, Picard had to get down on his knees, kneeling upon seemingly empty space, and strain his eyes to see him.