blank
(of paper or other writing surface) having no marks; not written or printed on: a blank sheet of paper.
not filled in, as a printed form: a blank check.
unrelieved or unbroken by ornament, opening, decoration, etc.: a blank wall.
lacking some usual or completing feature: An image is stamped onto a blank coin by a die.
(of a recording medium) containing no previously recorded information: She transferred all the restored data onto a blank hard drive.I still have a few blank CD-ROMs.: Compare prerecorded (def. 2).
void of interest, variety, results, etc.: She sometimes occupied her blank days reading detective stories.
showing no attention, interest, or emotion: a blank expression on his face.
disconcerted; nonplussed; speechless: He looked blank when I asked him why he applied for the job.
complete; utter; unmitigated: blank stupidity.
Archaic. white; pale; colorless.
a place where something is lacking; an empty space: a blank in one's memory.
a space in a printed form, test, etc., to be filled in: Write your name in the blank.
a printed form containing such spaces: Have you filled out one of these blanks?
a dash put in place of an omitted letter, series of letters, etc., especially to avoid writing a word considered profane or obscene.
Metalworking. a piece of metal ready to be drawn, pressed, or machined into a finished object.
Archery. the bull's-eye.
to cross out or delete, especially in order to invalidate or void (usually followed by out): to blank out an entry.
Informal. to keep (an opponent) from scoring in a game.
Metalworking. to stamp or punch out of flat stock, as with a die.
Idioms about blank
draw a blank,
to fail in an attempt; be unsuccessful: We've drawn a blank in the investigation.
to fail to comprehend or be unable to recollect: He asked me their phone number and I drew a blank.
Origin of blank
1synonym study For blank
Other words for blank
| 8 | astounded, dumfounded, dumbstruck; perplexed |
| 9 | downright, pure, thorough, unadulterated; perfect, absolute, unqualified |
| 11 | void, vacancy, emptiness; gap, lacuna, hiatus |
Other words from blank
- blankness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use blank in a sentence
Instead, the song was listed as “blank-blank-blank-blank Tha Police” with the instructions to “fill in the blanks.”
A Brief History of the Phrase 'F*ck the Police' | Rich Goldstein | August 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTCarrying a gun filled with blanks, the shooter entered a classroom of twenty students, taking one student hostage.
School Shooting Drills Can Be More Terrifying Than Helpful | Rachel Bronstein | April 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTYou know the whole story from the very beginning, but each chapter fills in the blanks a bit.
Can Nadia Bolz-Weber Resurrect Liberal Christianity? | Jonathan D. Fitzgerald | November 24, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTWe kind of filled in [the blanks] with her wardrobe quite a bit.
Style.com critic Tim Blanks described the scene as “Scary, sleazy, over the top.”
Kim Kardashian Finally Gets Noticed By Vogue; Rick Owens's Eurovision Performance | The Fashion Beast Team | June 28, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
When authority is conferred on another to fill blanks it must be strictly followed.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman | Albert Sidney BollesFull powers must be sent to Loo, sealed, but with blanks left for the names of the plenipotentiaries.
The History of England from the Accession of James II. | Thomas Babington MacaulayBlanks were left, as the King had directed, for the names of two Commissioners.
The History of England from the Accession of James II. | Thomas Babington MacaulayPlace the cards in a box on end and have a good supply of blanks back of them ready for use.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2 | VariousTrinity House sent them the usual blanks and instruments for recording meteorological observations.
The Lord of the Sea | M. P. Shiel
British Dictionary definitions for blank
/ (blæŋk) /
(of a writing surface) bearing no marks; not written on
(of a form, etc) with spaces left for details to be filled in
without ornament or break; unrelieved: a blank wall
not filled in; empty; void: a blank space
exhibiting no interest or expression: a blank look
lacking understanding; confused: he looked blank even after the explanations
absolute; complete: blank rejection
devoid of ideas or inspiration: his mind went blank in the exam
unproductive; barren
an emptiness; void; blank space
an empty space for writing in, as on a printed form
a printed form containing such empty spaces
something characterized by incomprehension or mental confusion: my mind went a complete blank
a mark, often a dash, in place of a word, esp a taboo word
short for blank cartridge
a plate or plug used to seal an aperture
a piece of material prepared for stamping, punching, forging, etc
archery the white spot in the centre of a target
draw a blank
to choose a lottery ticket that fails to win
to get no results from something
(usually foll by out) to cross out, blot, or obscure
slang to ignore or be unresponsive towards (someone): the crowd blanked her for the first four numbers
to forge, stamp, punch, or cut (a piece of material) in preparation for forging, die-stamping, or drawing operations
(often foll by off) to seal (an aperture) with a plate or plug
US and Canadian informal to prevent (an opponent) from scoring in a game
Origin of blank
1Derived forms of blank
- blankly, adverb
- blankness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with blank
In addition to the idiom beginning with blank
- blank check
also see:
- draw a blank
- fill in (the blanks)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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