vacuum (v.) Look up vacuum at Dictionary.com
"to clean with a vacuum cleaner," 1922; see vacuum (n.). Related: Vacuumed; vacuuming.
vacuum (n.) Look up vacuum at Dictionary.com
1540s, "emptiness of space," from Latin vacuum "an empty space, void," noun use of neuter of vacuus "empty," related to vacare "be empty" (see vain). Properly a loan-translation of Greek xenon, literally "that which is empty." Meaning "a place emptied of air" is attested from 1650s. Vacuum tube is attested from 1859. Vacuum cleaner is from 1903; shortened form vacuum (n.) first recorded 1910.