From Middle English voide, voyde, from Old French vuit, voide, vuide (modern vide), in turn from Vulgar Latin *vocitum, ultimately from Latin vacuus.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Containing nothing; empty; not occupied or filled.
c. 1619–22, Philip Massinger and John Fletcher, A Very Woman
I'll chain him in my study, that, at void hours, / I may run over the story of his country.
Today's youth's brains are sucked void of common sense.
And the earth was without forme, and voyd, and darkeneſſe was vpon the face of the deepe: and the Spirit of God mooued vpon the face of the waters. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 1:2, column 1:
I'll get me to a place more void. 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
(not-comparable) Having no incumbent; unoccupied; said of offices etc.
divers great offices that had been long void 1625, Francis [Bacon], Apophthegmes New and Old. […], London: […] Hanna Barret, and Richard Whittaker, […], →OCLC:
(not-comparable, with-of) Being without; destitute; devoid.
Suppoſe they be in number infinit,
Yet being voyd of Martiall diſcipline,
All running headlong after greedie ſpoiles: […]
Their careleſſe ſwords ſhal lanch their fellows throats
And make vs triumph in their ouerthrow. c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbor. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 11:12:
I envy not in any moods
The captive void of noble rage,
The linnet born within the cage,
That never knew the summer woods: […] 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 44:
(not-comparable) Not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain.
I will make void the counsel of Judah. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremy 19:7:
[My word] shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 55:11:
(not-comparable) Of no legal force or effect, incapable of confirmation or ratification.
Taiwan's government says that as the island has never been ruled by the People's Republic of China, its sovereignty claims are void. 2022 September 21, Martin Pollard, Ben Blanchard, “China willing to make utmost effort for peaceful 'reunification' with Taiwan”, in Michael Perry, editor, Reuters, archived from the original on 21 Sep 2022, Asia Pacific:
null and void
(not-comparable) Containing no immaterial quality; destitute of mind or soul.
And senseless words she gave, and sounding strain, / But senseless, lifeless! idol void and vain! 1728, Alexander Pope, “Book II”, in The Dunciad; republished in The Complete Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Boston, New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1902, page 231:
(not-comparable) Of a function or method, that does not return a value; being a procedure rather than a function.
In particular, the roll method is void — it has no return value. 2005, Craig Larman, Applying UML and patterns:
The return value can safely be ignored if it is a void function. 2007, Andrew Krause, Foundations of GTK+ Development:
(not-comparable) Having no cards in a particular suit.
ota بوش (containing nothing) · mi mārua (having lost all legal validity) · hu eredménytelen (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · es nulo (computing: not returning value) · pt vazio (unoccupied) · hu el nem foglalt (unoccupied) · sv tomrum (containing nothing) · it vuoto (computing: not returning value) · fr invalide (having lost all legal validity) · hu semmis (having lost all legal validity) · id kosong (containing nothing) · pdt onjeltich (having lost all legal validity) · hu értéktelen (containing no immaterial quality) · ka ვაკანტური (unoccupied) · hi व्यर्थ (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · bg незает (unoccupied) · pl nieważny (having lost all legal validity) · hu mentes (being without) · pt nulo (having lost all legal validity) · ka ბათილი (having lost all legal validity) · ro nul (having lost all legal validity) · fr vain (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · ang īdel (containing nothing) · nl leeg (unoccupied) · nl ijdel (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · mk неи́справен (having lost all legal validity) · nl leegte (containing nothing) · es inválido (computing: not returning value) · hi रिक्त (unoccupied) · bg лишен (being without) · la irritus (having lost all legal validity) · pt inválido (having lost all legal validity) · bg недействителен (having lost all legal validity) · it vuoto (containing nothing) · hu megürült (unoccupied) · hu érvénytelen (having lost all legal validity) · hu hasztalan (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · ang ǣmettig (containing nothing) · cmn 无效 (having lost all legal validity) · de nichtig (having lost all legal validity) · hu nélküli (being without) · it privo (being without) · it non valido (having lost all legal validity) · de umsonst (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · bg напразен (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · mk неко́рисен (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · it vano (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · bg вакантен (unoccupied) · mi tīareare (containing nothing) · mi tiare (containing nothing) · it non valido (computing: not returning value) · mk нева́жечки (having lost all legal validity) · fr vide (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · pt vazia (unoccupied) · es nulo (having lost all legal validity) · hu -telen (being without) · it inutile (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · ka დაუკავებელი (unoccupied) · mk на́празен (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · fr libre (containing nothing) · nl vacant (unoccupied) · hu megüresedett (unoccupied) · fi tyhjä (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · fr caduc (having lost all legal validity) · fi tyhjä (containing no immaterial quality) · bg празен (containing nothing) · ru пустой (containing nothing) · pl próżny (containing nothing) · fr vacant (unoccupied) · ia invalide (having lost all legal validity) · ru тщетный (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · fr vide (being without) · mk ли́шен (being without) · ru недействительный (having lost all legal validity) · fi jolta puuttuu (being without) · it nullo (having lost all legal validity) · ia nulle (having lost all legal validity) · mk пра́зен (containing nothing) · ka ცარიელი (containing nothing) · mk ва́кантен (unoccupied) · fi tyhjä (containing nothing) · fr vide (unoccupied) · hu üres (containing nothing) · it nullo (computing: not returning value) · mk сло́боден (unoccupied) · it vuoto (containing no immaterial quality) · ota خالی (containing nothing) · id batal (having lost all legal validity) · got 𐍅𐌰𐌽𐍃 (being without) · es huero (containing nothing) · hu -talan (being without) · de ungültig (having lost all legal validity) · fi tyhjä (computing: not returning value) · ka არარა (having lost all legal validity) · ru порожний (containing nothing) · mi wātea (unoccupied) · ota خالی (unoccupied) · de leer (unoccupied) · de vergeblich (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · es vacuo (unoccupied) · sv tom (containing nothing) · mk беспо́лезен (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · pt vazio (containing nothing) · hu nélkülöző (being without) · fi mitätön (having lost all legal validity) · es inválido (having lost all legal validity) · hu hiábavaló (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · hi रिक्त (containing nothing) · nl ongeldig (having lost all legal validity) · fr nul (having lost all legal validity) · nl leeg (containing nothing) · pl pusty (containing nothing) · el άδειος (containing nothing) · tl walang-bisa (having lost all legal validity) · mk недејстви́телен (having lost all legal validity) · ru вакантный (unoccupied) · hu céltalan (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · mk пра́зен (unoccupied) · mi manakore (having lost all legal validity) · bg базполезен (not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain) · no ugyldig (having lost all legal validity) · it vuoto (unoccupied) · nl nietig (having lost all legal validity) · mi mārua (containing nothing) · mi tahanga (containing nothing) · fi tyhjä (unoccupied) · mi hemahema (containing nothing) · th โมฆะ (having lost all legal validity) · es vacante (unoccupied) · pt vazia (containing nothing) · ota بوش (unoccupied) · fr dépourvu (being without) · fr vide (containing nothing) · de leer (containing nothing)
From Middle English voide, voyde, from Old French vuit, voide, vuide (modern vide), in turn from Vulgar Latin *vocitum, ultimately from Latin vacuus.
Meanings
An empty space; a vacuum.
Pride, where Wit fails, steps in to our defence, / And fills up all the mighty void of Sense. 1711, Alexander Pope, “Part II”, in An Essay on Criticism, lines 9–10; republished in The Complete Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Boston, New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1902, page 70:
Nobody has crossed the void since one man died trying three hundred years ago; it's high time we had another go.
An extended region of space containing no galaxies.
(qualifier:materials science) A collection of adjacent vacancies inside a crystal lattice.
(qualifier:fluid mechanics) A pocket of vapour inside a fluid flow, created by cavitation.
An empty space between floors or walls, including false separations and planned gaps between a building and its facade.
(Internet, endearing, humorous) A black cat.
Black cat owners often lovingly refer to their dark-haired feline friends as house panthers or ‘voids.’ 2024 October 31, Marc Vartabedian, quoting Cat Care Society, “'Maybe You’re Bad Luck.' Black Cat Nation Strikes Back”, in The Wall Street Journal:
Plenty of fellow cat owners took to the comments to share how their own voids keep them on their toes. 2026 February 20, Alyce Collins, “Black Cat Owner's Mistaken Identity Mix‑Up Leaves Internet in Hysterics”, in Newsweek:
Another added: "Always hiding secrets in their fur, I had to get my void extra shaved due to some medical issues and he wasn't happy about it." 2025 May 9, Melissa Fleur Afshar, “Reddit Users Unite Over Black Cats 'Hiding Secrets' in Their Fur”, in The Wall Street Journal:
My little void is so sweet sometimes.
An empty place; a location that has nothing useful.
From the logistics hub, the spoil will be taken by rail to Barrington in Cambridgeshire, Cliffe in Kent, and Rugby in Warwickshire. It will be used to fill voids at these locations which will then be used for housing developments. 2022 December 14, Paul Stephen, “HS2's Dorothy starts to dig second tunnel bore”, in RAIL, number 972, page 23:
The lack of cards in a particular suit.
A cavity or empty space caused by water erosion.
A hidden void caused by a partially buried pipe being damaged by a tamper during routine maintenance led to the derailment of a passenger train. […] The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) reported that a "large void" was found in the embankment, but had remained hidden until the train travelled over it. 2025 February 5, “Network News: "Large void" caused by damaged pipe led to Class 195 derailment”, in RAIL, number 1028, page 18:
Local Void ((astronomy) An extended region of space containing no galaxies)
Synonyms
pore ((engineering) collection of vacancies) · bubble ((engineering) pocket of vapour in fluid)
Translations (62)
sl praznina (an empty space; a vacuum) · pl próżnia (an empty space; a vacuum) · cmn 空洞 (astronomy: an extended region of space containing no galaxies) · ka სიცარიელე (astronomy: an extended region of space containing no galaxies) · hu üreg (fluid mechanics: a pocket of vapour inside a fluid flow, created by cavitation) · pt vazio (an empty space; a vacuum) · de Hohlraum (astronomy: an extended region of space containing no galaxies) · ca buit (an empty space; a vacuum) · fr vide (an empty space; a vacuum) · hu űr (an empty space; a vacuum) · mi hemanga (an empty space; a vacuum) · no intet (an empty space; a vacuum) · ru пустота́ (an empty space; a vacuum) · yi חלל (an empty space; a vacuum) · bg празнина (an empty space; a vacuum) · no tomrom (an empty space; a vacuum) · sh празнина (an empty space; a vacuum) · hi रिक्ति (an empty space; a vacuum) · id hampa (an empty space; a vacuum) · he חָלָל (an empty space; a vacuum) · de Vakuum (an empty space; a vacuum) · it vacuo (an empty space; a vacuum) · de Void (astronomy: an extended region of space containing no galaxies) · pt vácuo (an empty space; a vacuum) · pl pustka (an empty space; a vacuum) · hu hézag (materials science: a collection of adjacent vacancies inside a crystal lattice) · bg вакуум (an empty space; a vacuum) · la lacūna (an empty space; a vacuum) · fi tyhjiö (an empty space; a vacuum) · sv tomrum (an empty space; a vacuum) · da tomrum (an empty space; a vacuum) · no tomhet (an empty space; a vacuum) · hu hézag (construction: an empty space between floors or walls, including false separations and planned gaps between a building and its facade) · yue 空洞 (astronomy: an extended region of space containing no galaxies) · mk ва́куум (an empty space; a vacuum) · nl leegte (an empty space; a vacuum) · it vuoto (an empty space; a vacuum) · hu likacs (fluid mechanics: a pocket of vapour inside a fluid flow, created by cavitation) · hi निर्वात (an empty space; a vacuum) · ka ვაკუუმი (an empty space; a vacuum) · ia vacuo (an empty space; a vacuum) · fr néant (an empty space; a vacuum) · ro vid (an empty space; a vacuum) · es vacío (an empty space; a vacuum) · ka სიცარიელე (an empty space; a vacuum) · grc κενόν (an empty space; a vacuum) · ja 超空洞 (an empty space; a vacuum) · fi tyhjyys (an empty space; a vacuum) · cmn 空虚 (an empty space; a vacuum) · tr boşluk (an empty space; a vacuum) · no vakuum (an empty space; a vacuum) · sh praznina (an empty space; a vacuum) · ja 空洞 (astronomy: an extended region of space containing no galaxies) · de Leere (an empty space; a vacuum) · he רִיק (an empty space; a vacuum) · nl vacuüm (an empty space; a vacuum) · cs prázdnota (an empty space; a vacuum) · tr boşluk (astronomy: an extended region of space containing no galaxies) · fi tyhjiö (astronomy: an extended region of space containing no galaxies) · mk пра́знина (an empty space; a vacuum) · eo malpleno (an empty space; a vacuum) · hu üresség (an empty space; a vacuum)
From Middle English voide, voyde, from Old French vuit, voide, vuide (modern vide), in turn from Vulgar Latin *vocitum, ultimately from Latin vacuus.
Meanings
(transitive) To make invalid or worthless.
Near-synonym: nullify
He voided the check and returned it.
after they had voided the obligation of the oath he had taken a. 1716 (date written), [Gilbert] Burnet, edited by [Gilbert Burnet Jr.], Bishop Burnet’s History of His Own Time. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] Thomas Ward […], published 1724, →OCLC:
It was become a practice[…]to void the security that was at any time given for money so borrowed. 1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the [Sheldonian] Theater:
Opening this subassembly will void the warranty; there are no user-serviceable parts inside it.
(transitive) Synonym of empty (verb).
void one’s bladder
void one’s bowels
To throw or send out; to evacuate; to emit; to discharge.
to void excrement
a watchful application of mind in voiding prejudices a. 1692, Isaac Barrow, The Danger and Mischief of Delaying Repentance:
With shovel, like a fury, voided out / The earth and scattered bones. 1612, John Webster, The White Devil:
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard, And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
(intransitive, obsolete) To withdraw; to depart.
BY than come in to the feld kynge Ban as fyers as a lyon[…]/ Ha a said kyng Lot we must be discomfyte / for yonder I see the moste valyaunt knyght of the world / and the man of the most renoume / for suche ij bretheren as is kyng Ban & kyng bors ar not lyuynge / wherfore we must nedes voyde or deye 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xvj”, in Le Morte Darthur, book I:
(obsolete, transitive) To remove the contents of; to make or leave vacant or empty; to quit; to leave.
If they will fight with us, bid them come down, / Or void the field. 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
got 𐌱𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to make invalid or worthless) · tl waling-bisa (to make invalid or worthless) · mk и́спразни ((medicine) to empty) · ru опорожнять ((medicine) to empty) · nl ongeldig maken (to make invalid or worthless) · ru аннулировать (to make invalid or worthless) · id mengosongkan ((medicine) to empty) · fi mitätöidä (to make invalid or worthless) · pt evacuar ((medicine) to empty) · ia evacuar ((medicine) to empty) · sv upphäva (to make invalid or worthless) · no annulere (to make invalid or worthless) · fr révoquer (to make invalid or worthless) · de annullieren (to make invalid or worthless) · it svuotare ((medicine) to empty) · cy dirymu (to make invalid or worthless) · sv annullera (to make invalid or worthless) · hu kiürít ((medicine) to empty) · es infirmar (to make invalid or worthless) · pt anular (to make invalid or worthless) · fi tyhjentää ((medicine) to empty) · nl annuleren (to make invalid or worthless) · pt invalidar (to make invalid or worthless) · id membatalkan (to make invalid or worthless) · fr résilier (to make invalid or worthless) · ia annullar (to make invalid or worthless) · ia vacuar ((medicine) to empty) · de leeren ((medicine) to empty) · ca anul·lar (to make invalid or worthless) · it invalidare (to make invalid or worthless) · hu érvénytelenít (to make invalid or worthless) · mi paru ((medicine) to empty) · no gjøre ugyldig (to make invalid or worthless) · ka გაბათილება (to make invalid or worthless) · cmn 排空 ((medicine) to empty) · ka გაუქმება (to make invalid or worthless) · ia invalidar (to make invalid or worthless) · bg изпразвам ((medicine) to empty) · ga neamhnigh (to make invalid or worthless) · bg анулирам (to make invalid or worthless) · fr annuler (to make invalid or worthless) · grc ἀθετέω (to make invalid or worthless) · mk по́ништи (to make invalid or worthless) · hu felbont (to make invalid or worthless) · hu ürít ((medicine) to empty) · nl legen ((medicine) to empty) · de löschen (to make invalid or worthless) · no tømme ((medicine) to empty) · it annullare (to make invalid or worthless) · hu megsemmisít (to make invalid or worthless) · de entleeren ((medicine) to empty) · pt esvaziar ((medicine) to empty) · mk анули́ра (to make invalid or worthless) · ca invalidar (to make invalid or worthless)
Late on the final evening, as the customary ‘void’ – spiced wine and sweetmeats – was served, more elaborate disguisings in the great hall culminated in the release of a flock of white doves. 2011, Thomas Penn, Winter King, Penguin, published 2012, page 68: