early 14c., "an opening in a wall or hedge; a break, a breach," mid-13c. in place names, from Old Norse gap "chasm, empty space," related to gapa "to gape, open the mouth wide," common Proto-Germanic (cognates: Middle Dutch, Dutch gapen, German gaffen "to gape, stare," Swedish gapa, Danish gabe), from PIE *ghai- "to yawn, gape" (see yawn (v.)). From late 14c. as "a break or opening between mountains;" broader sense "unfilled space or interval, any hiatus or interruption" is from c. 1600. In U.S., common in place names in reference to a deep break or pass in a long mountain chain (especially one that water flows through), a feature in the middle Appalachians.
gap (v.)
1847, "to make gaps" (transitive); 1948 "to have gaps" (intransitive), from gap (n.). Related: Gapped; gapping.
例文
1. Like a good businessman，Stewart identified a gap in the market.
抜け目のない商人のように、スチュワートは市場の空白を発見した。
2.By 1973,this gap had narrowed almost to vanishing point.
1973年まで、この差はほぼゼロに縮小されていた。
3.There is a credibility gap developing between employers and employees.
雇用者と従業員の間に信頼の危機が発生した。
4.Britain needs to bridge the technology gap between academia and industry.
イギリスは学界と企業界の間の技術格差を埋める必要がある。
5.Leave a gap at the top and bottom so air can circulate.