vacuum

The most common type of vacuum is the vacuum cleaner that a person uses for cleaning. A "vacuum" is created when air or some other substance is removed from an area.

• He’s using a vacuum cleaner.  or…
• He’s using a vacuum.
• He’s vacuuming the house.
• Vacuuming is one of those household chores that you must do if you have carpeting in your home.

• I vacuumed the house yesterday. (past tense)
• When was the last time you vacuumed?
• The apartment was vacuumed by the housekeepers. (past tense, passive voice)
• They did a good job of vacuuming. (gerund)
• Someone is vacuuming. (present continuous tense)
• There’s something wrong with the vacuum. It’s not vacuuming. (It’s not sucking up dirt very well.)

The word "vacuum" is also used when there is a loss of power or control over an area or an organization:

• A power vacuum was created when the Soviet Union left Afghanistan.
• When the United States left Iraq, the Iraqi military collapsed and the resulting power vacuum was quickly filled by rebel forces.

There are other types of vacuums. When all of the air or gas is removed from inside a glass tube, this creates a vacuum tube. Vacuum tubes are used for old electronic devices, such as radios and amplifiers. An incandescent light bulb is also a type of vacuum tube.

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October 21, 2015