Chiefly Sc. Also 6 wacance, vacans, 9 vacanse. [ad. L. vacantia (see next), or a. F. vacance (1642).]
† 1. a. A vacant period. Obs.–1
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. vii. (S.T.S.), I. 43. This gouernance … was callit the Interregne, That is to say, þe vacance betuix the deith of ane king to þe electioun of ane vthir.
† b. Cessation or suspension of laws. Obs.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, III. ii. (S.T.S.), I. 247. Þe vacance of lawis [L. justitium] was commandit. Ibid., 249. At the returnyng of quintius to rome, the vacance of lawis ceissit.
† 2. The fact of becoming vacant; the vacation of an office. Obs.
1579. Reg. Privy Council Scot., III. 177. Upoun the vacance of ony prelacie the kirkis thairof salbe disponit to qualifiit ministeris in titill.
3. = VACATION 2. Now rare.
1563–7. Buchanan, Reform. St. Andros, Wks. (S.T.S.), 10. Heir efter … thair may be gevin sum vacans on to the first day of October.
1567. Sc. Acts, Jas. VI. (1814), III. 32/2. The Lordis of counsell and sessioun hes bene in vse … to haue vacance at Ȝule, Fastingis euin, Pasche, & Witsonday.
1609. in Seton, Life A. Seton (1882), 9. The Yule vacance to be and continue from the 24th December to the 6th January inclusivé.
1678. Sir G. Mackenzie, Crim. Laws Scot., II. xii. § ii. (1699), 207. Neither the Sheriff, nor Barrons, can hold Courts in feriat, or close, time of Vacance.
1695. Sibbald, Autobiog. (1834), 129. I past the Bajon yeer under Mr. James Wyseman, who died the vacance thereafter.
1752. J. Louthian, Form of Process (ed. 2), 28. These Letters pass upon a Bill signed by three Lords in Time of Vacance, and four in Time of Session.
1826. J. Wilson, Noct. Ambr., Wks. 1855, I. 242. The fates o’ the laddies at the Edinburgh Military Academy, on the Saturday before their vacanse.
1835. Blackw. Mag., XXXVIII. 154. We have angled ten hours a-day for half-a-week (during the vacance).
1901. Trotter, Gall. Gossip, 338. Give them vacance to-morrow.
attrib. a. 1712. Fountainhall, Decis. (1759), II. 345. It was just and necessary to arrest him, and make him answer, though in vacance-time.
a. 1774. Fergusson, Poems (1789), II. 46. Their stamack’s aft in tift In vacance-time.
† 4. In Eng. use: Leisure, relaxation. Obs. rare.
1609. Bible (Douay), Ecclus. xxxviii 25 comm. The wisdom of a scribe in the time of vacance.
a. 1760. J. H. Browne, Poems (1768), 141. Nor thou disdain Fit hour of Vacance with the Muses’ train.
