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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Evacuate


EVAC'UATE, verb transitive [Latin evacuo; e and vacuus, from vaco, to empty. See Vacant.]

1. To make empty; to free from any thing contained; as, to evacuate the church.

2. To throw out; to eject; to void; to discharge; as, to evacuate dark-colored matter from the bowels. Hence,

3. To empty; to free from contents, or to diminish the quantity contained; as, to evacuate the bowels; to evacuate the vessels by bleeding.

4. To quit; to withdraw from a place. The British army evacuated the city of New York, November 25, 1783.

5. To make void; to nullify; as, to evacuate a marriage or any contract. [In this sense, vacate is now generally used.]