gap

(găp)

1. a. An opening in a solid structure or surface; a cleft or breach: wriggled through a gap in the fence; a large gap in the wall where the artillery shell had exploded.
   b. A break in a line of defense.
2. An opening through mountains; a pass.
3. A space between objects or points; an aperture: a gap between his front teeth.
4. An interruption of continuity: a nine-minute gap in the recorded conversation; needed to fill in the gaps in her knowledge.
5. a. A conspicuous difference or imbalance; a disparity: a gap between revenue and spending; the widening gap between rich and poor.
   b. A problematic situation resulting from such a disparity: the budget gap; the technology gap.
6. A spark gap.
7. Computer Science An absence of information on a recording medium, often used to signal the end of a segment of information.
8. Electronics The distance between the head of a recording device and the surface of the recording medium.