blank

[blangk] /blæŋk/
adjective, blanker, blankest.
1.
(of paper or other writing surface) having no marks; not written or printed on:
a blank sheet of paper.
2.
not filled in, as a printed form:
a blank check.
3.
unrelieved or unbroken by ornament, opening, decoration, etc.:
a blank wall.
4.
lacking some usual or completing feature:
a blank roll of film.
5.
(of a recording medium) containing no previously recorded information:
a blank videocassette; a blank floppy disk.
Compare prerecorded.
6.
void of interest, variety, results, etc.:
She sometimes occupied her blank days reading detective stories.
7.
showing no attention, interest, or emotion:
a blank expression on his face.
8.
disconcerted; nonplussed; speechless:
He looked blank when I asked him why he applied for the job.
9.
complete; utter; unmitigated:
blank stupidity.
10.
Archaic. white; pale; colorless.
noun
11.
a place where something is lacking; an empty space:
a blank in one's memory.
12.
a space in a printed form, test, etc., to be filled in:
Write your name in the blank.
13.
a printed form containing such spaces:
Have you filled out one of these blanks?
14.
a dash put in place of an omitted letter, series of letters, etc., especially to avoid writing a word considered profane or obscene.
15.
Metalworking. a piece of metal ready to be drawn, pressed, or machined into a finished object.
16.
Archery. the bull's-eye.
17.
the object toward which anything is directed; aim; target.
18.
blank cartridge.
verb (used with object)
19.
to cross out or delete, especially in order to invalidate or void (usually followed by out):
to blank out an entry.
20.
Informal. to keep (an opponent) from scoring in a game.
21.
Metalworking. to stamp or punch out of flat stock, as with a die.
Idioms
22.
draw a blank,
  1. to fail in an attempt; be unsuccessful:
    We've drawn a blank in the investigation.
  2. to fail to comprehend or be unable to recollect:
    He asked me their phone number and I drew a blank.
Origin
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
Related forms
blankness, noun
Synonyms
1–4. See empty. 8. dumfounded, confused, astounded. 9. pure, simple, unadulterated; perfect, absolute, unqualified. 11. void, vacancy, emptiness; gap, lacuna, hiatus.
British Dictionary definitions for draw a blank

blank

/blæŋk/
adjective
1.
(of a writing surface) bearing no marks; not written on
2.
(of a form, etc) with spaces left for details to be filled in
3.
without ornament or break; unrelieved: a blank wall
4.
not filled in; empty; void: a blank space
5.
exhibiting no interest or expression: a blank look
6.
lacking understanding; confused: he looked blank even after the explanations
7.
absolute; complete: blank rejection
8.
devoid of ideas or inspiration: his mind went blank in the exam
9.
unproductive; barren
noun
10.
an emptiness; void; blank space
11.
an empty space for writing in, as on a printed form
12.
a printed form containing such empty spaces
13.
something characterized by incomprehension or mental confusion: my mind went a complete blank
14.
a mark, often a dash, in place of a word, esp a taboo word
15.
short for blank cartridge
16.
a plate or plug used to seal an aperture
17.
a piece of material prepared for stamping, punching, forging, etc
18.
(archery) the white spot in the centre of a target
19.
draw a blank
  1. to choose a lottery ticket that fails to win
  2. to get no results from something
verb (transitive)
20.
(usually foll by out) to cross out, blot, or obscure
21.
(slang) to ignore or be unresponsive towards (someone): the crowd blanked her for the first four numbers
22.
to forge, stamp, punch, or cut (a piece of material) in preparation for forging, die-stamping, or drawing operations
23.
(often foll by off) to seal (an aperture) with a plate or plug
24.
(US & Canadian, informal) to prevent (an opponent) from scoring in a game
Derived Forms
blankly, adverb
blankness, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Old French blanc white, of Germanic origin; related to Old English blanca a white horse
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.

n.

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).

v.

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.

Slang definitions & phrases for draw a blank

draw a blank

verb phrase
  1. To fail completely in recall: I'm trying to remember, but keep drawing a blank (1940s+)
  2. To get nothing; have a negative result; fail: I drew a blank when I solicited him (1825+)

blank

noun

A weakened or diluted narcotic, or a nonnarcotic substance sold as a narcotic; flea powder (1970s+ Narcotics)

verb
  1. To hold an opponent scoreless; schneider, shut out, skunk: The hapless Tigers were blanked twice last week (1970s+ Sports)
  2. To kill; rub out, whack: the woman Loftus was with the night he was blanked (1980s+ Underworld)
Related Terms

draw a blank, shoot blanks

[noun sense probably fr blank cartridge, ''a cartridge without a bullet'']


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
also see: