资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Space \Space\ (sp[=a]s), n. [OE. space, F. espace, from L.
   spatium space; cf. Gr. spa^n to draw, to tear; perh. akin to
   E. span. Cf. {Expatiate}.]
   1. Extension, considered independently of anything which it
      may contain; that which makes extended objects conceivable
      and possible.

            Pure space is capable neither of resistance nor
            motion.                               --Locke.

   2. Place, having more or less extension; room.

            They gave him chase, and hunted him as hare; Long
            had he no space to dwell [in].        --R. of
                                                  Brunne.

            While I have time and space.          --Chaucer.

   3. A quantity or portion of extension; distance from one
      thing to another; an interval between any two or more
      objects; as, the space between two stars or two hills; the
      sound was heard for the space of a mile.

            Put a space betwixt drove and drove.  --Gen. xxxii.
                                                  16.

   4. Quantity of time; an interval between two points of time;
      duration; time. ``Grace God gave him here, this land to
      keep long space.'' --R. of brunne.

            Nine times the space that measures day and night.
                                                  --Milton.

            God may defer his judgments for a time, and give a
            people a longer space of repentance.  --Tillotson.

   5. A short time; a while. [R.] ``To stay your deadly strife a
      space.'' --Spenser.

   6. Walk; track; path; course. [Obs.]

            This ilke [same] monk let old things pace, And held
            after the new world the space.        --Chaucer.

   7. (print.)
      (a) A small piece of metal cast lower than a face type, so
          as not to receive the ink in printing, -- used to
          separate words or letters.
      (b) The distance or interval between words or letters in
          the lines, or between lines, as in books.

   Note: Spaces are of different thicknesses to enable the
         compositor to arrange the words at equal distances from
         each other in the same line.

   8. (Mus.) One of the intervals, or open places, between the
      lines of the staff.

   {Absolute space}, {Euclidian space}, etc. See under
      {Absolute}, {Euclidian}, etc.

   {Space line} (Print.), a thin piece of metal used by printers
      to open the lines of type to a regular distance from each
      other, and for other purposes; a lead. --Hansard.

   {Space rule} (Print.), a fine, thin, short metal rule of the
      same height as the type, used in printing short lines in
      tabular matter.

Absolute \Ab"so*lute\, a. [L. absolutus, p. p. of absolvere: cf.
   F. absolu. See {Absolve}.]
   1. Loosed from any limitation or condition; uncontrolled;
      unrestricted; unconditional; as, absolute authority,
      monarchy, sovereignty, an absolute promise or command;
      absolute power; an absolute monarch.

   2. Complete in itself; perfect; consummate; faultless; as,
      absolute perfection; absolute beauty.

            So absolute she seems, And in herself complete.
                                                  --Milton.

   3. Viewed apart from modifying influences or without
      comparison with other objects; actual; real; -- opposed to
      {relative} and {comparative}; as, absolute motion;
      absolute time or space.

   Note: Absolute rights and duties are such as pertain to man
         in a state of nature as contradistinguished from
         relative rights and duties, or such as pertain to him
         in his social relations.

   4. Loosed from, or unconnected by, dependence on any other
      being; self-existent; self-sufficing.

   Note: In this sense God is called the Absolute by the Theist.
         The term is also applied by the Pantheist to the
         universe, or the total of all existence, as only
         capable of relations in its parts to each other and to
         the whole, and as dependent for its existence and its
         phenomena on its mutually depending forces and their
         laws.

   5. Capable of being thought or conceived by itself alone;
      unconditioned; non-relative.

   Note: It is in dispute among philosopher whether the term, in
         this sense, is not applied to a mere logical fiction or
         abstraction, or whether the absolute, as thus defined,
         can be known, as a reality, by the human intellect.

               To Cusa we can indeed articulately trace, word
               and thing, the recent philosophy of the absolute.
                                                  --Sir W.
                                                  Hamilton.

   6. Positive; clear; certain; not doubtful. [R.]

            I am absolute 't was very Cloten.     --Shak.

   7. Authoritative; peremptory. [R.]

            The peddler stopped, and tapped her on the head,
            With absolute forefinger, brown and ringed. --Mrs.
                                                  Browning.

   8. (Chem.) Pure; unmixed; as, absolute alcohol.

   9. (Gram.) Not immediately dependent on the other parts of
      the sentence in government; as, the case absolute. See
      {Ablative absolute}, under {Ablative}.

   {Absolute curvature} (Geom.), that curvature of a curve of
      double curvature, which is measured in the osculating
      plane of the curve.

   {Absolute equation} (Astron.), the sum of the optic and
      eccentric equations.

   {Absolute space} (Physics), space considered without relation
      to material limits or objects.

   {Absolute terms}. (Alg.), such as are known, or which do not
      contain the unknown quantity. --Davies & Peck.

   {Absolute temperature} (Physics), the temperature as measured
      on a scale determined by certain general thermo-dynamic
      principles, and reckoned from the absolute zero.

资料来源 : WordNet®

absolute space
     n : physical space independent of what occupies it