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blank
[ blangk ]
adjective
- (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: Compare prerecorded ( def 2 ).
She transferred all the restored data onto a blank hard drive.
I still have a few blank CD-ROMs.
- 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.
He looked blank when I asked him why he applied for the job.
Synonyms: ,
blank stupidity.
Synonyms: , , , , , ,
- Archaic. white; pale; colorless.
noun
- a place where something is lacking; an empty space:
a blank in one's memory.
Synonyms: , , , ,
- 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.
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.
blank
/ æŋ /
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; 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
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 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
verb
- 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
- informal.to prevent (an opponent) from scoring in a game
Derived Forms
- ˈԱ, noun
- ˈ, adverb
Other Word Forms
- n noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of blank1
Word History and Origins
Origin of blank1
Idioms and Phrases
- 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.
More idioms and phrases containing blank
In addition to the idiom beginning with blank , also see draw a blank ; fill in (the blanks) .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
The wardrobe fills out the one blank wall I had left in the bedroom.
Pity it feels a sense of obligation to have Chris shoot more than lovelorn blanks.
Despite their dreariness as a couple, Janet does come armed with a stare so blank it looks like she saw a ghost and never recovered.
Bird would slow and beckon people over to him, ask the time or directions before shooting them at point blank range.
Part of what’s interesting to me is the fiction that you have to create when somebody passes away — you kind of fill in the blanks.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from 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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