blank

[blangk]

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adjective, blank·er, blank·est.

(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: a blank roll of film.

(of a recording medium) containing no previously recorded information: a blank videocassette; a blank floppy disk.Compare prerecorded.

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.

noun

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.

the object toward which anything is directed; aim; target.

blank cartridge.

verb (used with object)

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.

Nearby words

Idioms

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

1300–50; Middle English (noun and adj.) < Anglo-French, French blanc (adj.) < Germanic; compare Old English blanca white horse, Old High German blanch bright, white

SYNONYMS FOR blank

1–4. See empty. 8. dumfounded, confused, astounded. 9. pure, simple, unadulterated; perfect, absolute, unqualified. 11. void, vacancy, emptiness; gap, lacuna, hiatus.

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Related formsblank·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for draw a blank

blank

adjective

(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; unrelieveda blank wall

not filled in; empty; voida blank space

exhibiting no interest or expressiona blank look

lacking understanding; confusedhe looked blank even after the explanations

absolute; completeblank rejection

devoid of ideas or inspirationhis mind went blank in the exam

unproductive; barren

noun

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 confusionmy 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

verb (tr)

(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

Derived Formsblankly, adverbblankness, noun

Word Origin for blank

C15: from Old French blanc white, of Germanic origin; related to Old English blanca a white horse

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

Word Origin and History for draw a blank

blank

adj.

early 13c., "white, pale, colorless," from Old French blanc "white, shining," from Frankish *blank "white, gleaming," or some other West Germanic source (cf. Old Norse blakkr, Old English blanca "white horse;" Old High German blanc, blanch; German blank "shining, bright"), from Proto-Germanic *blangkaz "to shine, dazzle," extended form of PIE root *bhel- (1) "to shine, flash, burn" (see bleach (v.)).

Meaning "having empty spaces" evolved c.1400. Sense of "void of expression" (a blank look) is from 1550s. Spanish blanco, Italian bianco are said to be from Germanic. Related: Blankly, blankness.

blank

late 14c. as the name of a small French coin; 1550s as "white space in the center of a target," from the same source as blank (adj.). Meaning "empty space" (in a document, etc.) is from c.1570. Meaning "losing lottery ticket" (1560s) is behind the expression draw a blank. The word has been "for decorum's sake, substituted for a word of execration" [OED] from 1854. From 1896 as short for blank cartridge (itself from 1826).

blank

1540s, "to nonplus, disconcert, shut up;" 1560s, "to frustrate," from blank (adj.). Sports sense of "defeat (another team) without allowing a score" is from 1870. Meaning "to become blank or empty" is from 1955. Related: Blanked; blanking.

Idioms and Phrases with draw a blank

draw a blank

Fail to find or remember something, as in He looks familiar but I've drawn a blank on his name. This expression alludes to drawing a lottery ticket with nothing on it (so one cannot win a prize). [Early 1800s]

blank

In addition to the idiom beginning with blank

blank check

also see:

draw a blank
fill in (the blanks)

blank

adjective, blank·er, blank·est.

noun

verb (used with object)

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Idioms

Origin of blank

blank

adjective

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for blank

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