void
    adj 1: lacking any legal or binding force; "null and void" [syn:
           null, void]
    2: containing nothing; "the earth was without form, and void"
    n 1: the state of nonexistence [syn: nothingness, void,
         nullity, nihility]
    2: an empty area or space; "the huge desert voids"; "the
       emptiness of outer space"; "without their support he'll be
       ruling in a vacuum" [syn: void, vacancy, emptiness,
       vacuum]
    v 1: declare invalid; "The contract was annulled"; "void a plea"
         [syn: invalidate, annul, quash, void, avoid,
         nullify] [ant: formalise, formalize, validate]
    2: clear (a room, house, place) of occupants or empty or clear
       (a place or receptacle) of something; "The chemist voided the
       glass bottle"; "The concert hall was voided of the audience"
    3: take away the legal force of or render ineffective;
       "invalidate a contract" [syn: invalidate, void,
       vitiate] [ant: validate]
    4: excrete or discharge from the body [syn: evacuate, void,
       empty]

Void \Void\, n.
   An empty space; a vacuum.
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         Pride, where wit fails, steps in to our defense,
         And fills up all the mighty void of sense. --Pope.
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Void \Void\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Voided; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Voiding.] [OF. voidier, vuidier. See Void, a.]
   1. To remove the contents of; to make or leave vacant or
      empty; to quit; to leave; as, to void a table.
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            Void anon her place.                  --Chaucer.
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            If they will fight with us, bid them come down,
            Or void the field.                    --Shak.
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   2. To throw or send out; to evacuate; to emit; to discharge;
      as, to void excrements.
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            A watchful application of mind in voiding
            prejudices.                           --Barrow.
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            With shovel, like a fury, voided out
            The earth and scattered bones.        --J. Webster.
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   3. To render void; to make to be of no validity or effect; to
      vacate; to annul; to nullify.
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            After they had voided the obligation of the oath he
            had taken.                            --Bp. Burnet.
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            It was become a practice . . . to void the security
            that was at any time given for money so borrowed.
                                                  --Clarendon.
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Void \Void\, a. [OE. voide, OF. voit, voide, vuit, vuide, F.
   vide, fr. (assumed) LL. vocitus, fr. L. vocare, an old form
   of vacare to be empty, or a kindred word. Cf. Vacant,
   Avoid.]
   1. Containing nothing; empty; vacant; not occupied; not
      filled.
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            The earth was without form, and void. --Gen. i. 2.
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            I 'll get me to a place more void.    --Shak.
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            I 'll chain him in my study, that, at void hours,
            I may run over the story of his country.
                                                  --Massinger.
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   2. Having no incumbent; unoccupied; -- said of offices and
      the like.
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            Divers great offices that had been long void.
                                                  --Camden.
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   3. Being without; destitute; free; wanting; devoid; as, void
      of learning, or of common use. --Milton.
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            A conscience void of offense toward God. --Acts
                                                  xxiv. 16.
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            He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbor.
                                                  --Prov. xi.
                                                  12.
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   4. Not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain.
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            [My word] shall not return to me void, but it shall
            accomplish that which I please.       --Isa. lv. 11.
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            I will make void the counsel of Judah. --Jer. xix.
                                                  7.
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   5. Containing no immaterial quality; destitute of mind or
      soul. "Idol, void and vain." --Pope.
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   6. (Law) Of no legal force or effect, incapable of
      confirmation or ratification; null. Cf. Voidable, 2.
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   Void space (Physics), a vacuum.
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   Syn: Empty; vacant; devoid; wanting; unfurnished; unsupplied;
        unoccupied.
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Void \Void\, v. i.
   To be emitted or evacuated. --Wiseman.
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VOID, contracts, practice. That which has no force or effect. 
     2. Contracts, bequests or legal proceedings may be void; these will be 
severally considered. 
     3.-1. The invalidity of a contract may arise from many causes. 1. When 
the parties have no capacity to contract; as in the case of idiots, 
lunatics, and in some states, under their local regulations, habitual 
drunkards. Vide Parties to contracts, Sec. 1; 1 Hen. & Munf 69; 1 South. R. 
361; 2 Hayw. R. 394; Newl. on Contr. 19; 1 Fonb. Eq. 46; 3 Camp. 128; Long 
on Sales, 14; Highm. on Lunacy, 111, 112 Chit. on Contr. 29, 257. 
     4.-2. When the contract has for its object the performance of an act 
malum in se; as a covenant to rob or kill a man, or to commit a breach of 
the peace. Shep. To. 163; Co. Lit. 206, b 10 East, R. 534. 
     5.-3. When the thing to be performed is impossible; as, if a man were 
to covenant to go from the United States to Europe in one day. Co. Lit. 206, 
b. But in these cases, the impossibility must exist at the time of making 
the contract; for although subsequent events may excuse the performance, the 
contract is not absolutely void; as, if John contract to marry Maria, and, 
before the time appointed, the covenantee marry her himself, the contract 
will not be enforced, but it was not void in its creation. It differs from a 
contract made by John, who, being a married man, and known to the 
covenantee, enters into a contract to marry Maria during the continuance of 
his existing marriage, for in that case the contract is void. 
     6.-4. Contracts against public policy; as, an agreement not to marry 
any one, or not to follow any business; the one being considered in 
restraint of marriage, and the other in restraint of trade. 4 Burr. 2225; S. 
C. Wilm. 364; 2 Vern. 215; Al. 67: 8 Mass. R. 223; 9 Mass. R. 522; 1 Pick. 
R. 443; 3 Pick. R. 188. 
     7.-5. When the contract is fraudulent, it is void, for fraud vitiates 
everything. 1 Fonb. Equity, 66, note Newl. on Contr. 352; and article Fraud. 
As to cases when a condition consists of several parts, and some are lawful 
and others are not, see article Condition. 
     8.-2. A devise or bequest is void:. 1. When made by a person not 
lawfully authorized to make a will; as, a lunatic or idiot, a married woman, 
and an infant before arriving at the age of fourteen, if a male, and twelve 
if a female. Harg. Co. Lit. 896, If; Rob. on Wills, 28; Godolph. Orph. Leg. 
21. 2. When there is a defect in the form of the will, or when the devise is 
forbidden by law; as, when a perpetuity is given, or when the devise in 
unintelligible. 3. When it has been obtained by fraud. 4. When, the devisee 
is dead. 5. And when there has been an express or implied revocation of the 
will. Vide Legacy; Will. 
     9.-3. A writ or process is void when there was not any authority for 
issuing it, as where the court had no jurisdiction, In such case, the 
officers acting under it become trespassers, for they are required, 
notwithstanding it may sometimes be a difficult question of law, to decide 
whether the court has or has not jurisdiction. 2 Brownl. 124; 10 Co. 69; 
March's R. 118; 8 T. R. 424; 3 Cranch, R. 330; 4 Mass. R. 234. Vide articles 
Irregularity; Regular and Irregular Process. Vide, generally, 8 Com. Dig. 
644; Bac. Ab. Conditions, K; Bac. Ab. Infancy, &c. I; Bac. Ab. h.t.; Dane's 
Ab. Index, h.t.; 3 Chit. Pr. 75; Yelv. 42, a, note 1; 1 Rawle, R. 163; Bouv. 
Inst Index, h.t.