For instance, many structural engineers rely on laboratory work, and engineering tests that they hire others to perform. These additional fees can drive the cost of any project up, but even more importantly, they can derail a program that was originally on schedule.
Word forms: plural gaps. 1. countable noun. A gap is a space between two things or a hole in the middle of something solid. He pulled the thick curtains together, leaving just a narrow gap. ...the wind tearing through gaps in the window frames.
Or it may be impossible to address a problem because of missing key member statesâe.g., the World Trade Organization (WTO) before Chinaâs entry. One of the most obvious explanations for institutional shortcomings, or gaps, is simply because the resources allocated are incommensurate with the magnitude of a problem.